Steel Roses back to their roots and back in bloom

Fans enthralled as stunning comeback revives team's famous fighting spirit

The Chinese women's soccer team rekindled their famous fighting spirit to end a 16-year wait to lift the Asian Cup－capturing the imagination of ecstatic fans back home in the process.

Having trailed 2-0 in the final in Navi Mumbai, India, on Sunday night, the Steel Roses summoned all their determination and resolve to battle back and tie the game before Xiao Yuyi fired home a dramatic 93rd-minute winner from a Wang Shanshan assist to secure the title.

The victory earned China a record ninth Asian Cup title, as the Steel Roses atoned for their disappointing Tokyo 2020 campaign.

"We've put the past behind us and are looking to the future. Thanks to all the fans who kept supporting the Chinese women's soccer team, and we will keep trying hard in the future," Xiao wrote on social media after the game.

China has been indebted to a series of imperious performances in India from Tottenham midfielder Tang Jiali, former Paris Saint-Germain playmaker Wang Shuang and Wang Shanshan, with the latter claiming the tournament's MVP honor.

The trio scored a combined 14 goals, accounting for over 70 percent of the squad's tally at the Asian Cup. In addition to firepower, they contributed massively to China's immense defensive effort.

"After the first half, we encouraged each other and none of us ever thought about giving up. We tried the best we could and in the end we won," said Wang Shanshan.

"I'm so proud of us, and this is my first Asian Cup title. I want to thank the entire team and the coaches. This triumph is a new start for the Chinese women's soccer team. Through it, we showed the world our strength.

"Being named the MVP is also a huge honor for me. It's an acknowledgement of all my hard work. And again, I could not have achieved all this without the help and encouragement of the entire team."

The Steel Roses' victory completely dominated discussion on Chinese social media on Sunday night. The hashtag "Chinese women's team wins Asian Cup" was viewed over 1.1 billion times by Monday morning, but that was just one of 10 trending topics related to the women's team on Weibo.

The huge turnaround in fortunes from the team's humiliating groupstage elimination the Tokyo Olympics last summer made the win extra special for fans.

China's Tokyo 2020 participation ended with a shocking 8-2 thrashing at the hands of the Netherlands, underlining just how far Chinese women's soccer had fallen behind the game's elite nations. The exit also led to the resignation of head coach Jia Xiuquan.

The Asian Cup was the first international competition for Jia's successor, Shui Qingxia.

"Although the players come from different cities, we need to come together and show the spirit of the Chinese people as a team at these events. As a coach, I will set an example for them and I will use my expertise to guide them," said Shui.

A former China international, Shui won five Asian Cup titles as a player, from 1986 to 1997.

"I'm so thrilled that Team China could win its ninth Asian Cup title, and we never let our heads drop when we were 0-2 down. The players overcame both their rivals and themselves," Shui added.

"At halftime, I simply told the players not to give up. Anything could happen in the remaining 45 minutes. We should think less and fight hard. It's a great achievement to win this time, and we see a bright future ahead. Technically and mentally, we should march toward the right direction."