Three-time Asian Cup champions Taiwan made a great start to their Group D qualifying campaign for next year’s finals in Japan and the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada with a 6-0 victory over hosts Palestine on Tuesday.
Taiwan’s women, who won the Asian Cup in 1977, 1979 and 1981, went a goal up after five minutes at the Faisal al-Husseini Stadium in Al-Ram, the West Bank, when midfielder Lin Ya-han found the back of the Palestine net.
The match remained at 1-0 until a flurry of goals just before the interval saw Taiwan take control.
Photo: EPA
Yu Hsiu-chin made it 2-0 in the 40th minute, Lai Li-chin added a third two minutes later and Lin Kai-ling struck the fourth in first-half stoppage-time.
With a comfortable lead, Lin Ya-han completed her hat-trick in the second half, bagging her second and Taiwan’s fifth 10 minutes after the restart, before completing her treble and sealing the 6-0 triumph after 80 minutes.
In the other Group D match, Myanmar beat India 2-0 to go second in the group behind Taiwan on goal-difference.
Winger Khin Moe Wai crossed to Naw Phaw, who did well to escape her marker and place her shot into the roof of the net in the fifth minute.
Myanmar then doubled their lead in the 26th minute when a swift counterattack led to a goal from Khin Moe Wai.
Taiwan face India in their second qualifier in Al-Ram today, after Myanmar take on Palestine in the early kickoff.
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