Fri, Dec 07, 2001 page16

• Taiwan overcomes defiant India team

  DEFENSIVE LINE India set out to suffocate the host nation's attack and kept the score down to just one goal at half time. But, Taiwan hit four in the second half to win

  • By Jules Quartly / CONTRIBUTING REPORTER
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  India's outgunned but steely defense stifled Taiwan's attack yesterday, leaving coach Chang Ming-shen (張明賢) frustrated over the number of chances that went missing in his team's 5-0 victory yesterday at Chungshan Stadium.

  After a comprehensive double-figures defeat of Malaysia the day before, Cheng was hoping for a similar scoreline against India.

  "Despite 23 attempts we only managed to score five times," he said after the match. "I believe we didn't score more goals due to the impatience of my team, although India performed very well in defense."

  

  Taiwan's Lee Ming-shu breaks a tackle and heads for goal yesterday at the Asian Women's Football championships in Taiwan. Taiwan beat India 5-0, with Lee on target for Taiwan with two goals.

  PHOTO: LEE HONG-MING, TAIPEI TIMES

  India's competent and well-marshaled back line was, however, let down by a midfield that was run ragged by Taiwan from the whistle.

  It's attacking options were severely limited by deploying a lone striker, who was left to run in ever-decreasing circles by the end of the game.

  Goals were inevitable for Taiwan and the first came in the 12th minute from Lee Ming-shu (李明恕), who rifled in an effort from outside the box.

  

  A pattern to the game emerged, with steady, driving pressure from Taiwan's busy midfield and darting forwards.

  India, fighting a rearguard action, rarely cleared its own half and tired noticeably as the game wore on.

  Taiwan's school-age and high-pitched fans urged their team on, but the score remained a stubborn 1-0 when the first-half whistle was blown.

  A team talk seemed to revive India's aspirations at the beginning of the second half, but it did not take long for Taiwan to once again take hold of the game by the scruff of the neck.

  Two goals in the space of 60 seconds proved to be India's death knell.

  First, Liao Ying-wan (寥櫻灣) was on the end of a cross from the left side, after some well-crafted approach play.

  Then, Huang Chun-lan (黃春蘭) set off on a solo run and lobbed the goalkeeper from just outside the box.

  Lee got her second of the game in the 61st minute with a run across the penalty area, before neatly slotting into the side netting.

  Taiwan's star striker Lin Chi-i (林綺苡), who is said to be contemplating a move to a US team next year, had a relatively quiet game.

  Apart from some jinking runs deep inside India's half, her influence was muted by some tough marking.

  Lin only got on the scoresheet thanks to a clumsy tackle toward the end of the game that had the referee pointing to the penalty spot straight away.

  Lin calmly stepped up and stroked the ball into the right-hand corner, past the stationary 'keeper.

  Two minutes later the match was over and Taiwan's fans, which numbered around 1,000, cheered their side off the pitch.

  Thailand 4, Malaysia 0

  Thailand showed that it was in the hunt to qualify from Taiwan's group A, when it put down Malaysia 4-0 at Chungshan Stadium yesterday.

  Led by Nuengrutai Srathongvian, who scored in the second and 74th minutes, Thailand was also helped by an own goal from Haineh Bte Liem.

  Vietnam 2, Guam 0

  Humbled perhaps by a 19-0 humiliation from North Korea on the opening day of the tournament, Guam stuck to its task against Vietnam with a crude but relatively effective offside trap at the Taipei Municipality Stadium.

  Taking a leaf out of Hong Kong's box of tricks the previous day -- when it tried to shut out Asian champions China -- Guam formed an eight-woman line that would rush out to catch Vietnam offside at every opportunity.

  It turned out to be a frustrating afternoon for Vietnam, which was only able to put two past the likely wooden-spoon team, despite constant pressure from this year's South East Asian Games champions.

  Twenty-three-year-old midfielder Doan Thi Kim Chi scored the Vietnam goals in the first half.

  North Korea 24, Singapore 0

  North Korea's goal machine was in overdrive against the "Lionesses" from Singapore, producing a 24-0 scoreline at the Taipei Municipality Stadium in a group B match.

  The Koreans increased their goals-scored account to a remarkable 43 in two games, as they started the game with the same unrelenting attacking form they showed in their 19-0 victory over Guam.

  Ri Kim-suk led the way, scoring six of Korea's 12 first half goals. The 23-year old forward was subbed at the interval, but Korea kept rolling on.

  Jin Pyol-hui, who scored a hat-trick in the first half, got her fourth in the 79th minute before Ri Un-gyong also completed a four goal haul with two late strikes.
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