Taiwan yesterday suffered a 2-1 defeat to Jordan on a rain-soaked pitch at the Taipei Municipal Stadium in the first match of Group B Asian qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Head coach Louis Lancaster started a trio of strikers — Chen Jui-chieh, Chen Hao-wei and naturalized citizen Onur Dogan — in a more aggressive lineup in search of victory in front of local fans.
Jordan, coached by Belgian Vital Borkelmans, hit their stride early with good passing and individual skills to create chances, keeping Taiwan goalkeeper Pan Wen-chieh busy.
Taiwan fell behind in the 19th minute when attacking midfielder Mousa Suleiman blasted a shot from just inside the 18-yard box, which Pan parried and the ball bounced off the post. As Pan reached for the rebound, Jordan striker Baha Faisal slotted home for the visitors to take a 1-0 lead.
During the scramble, Faisal had run into Pan, who laid on the ground apparently injured. Lancaster and Taiwan’s players called for the officials to nullify the goal due to illegal contact, but it was upheld.
As Taiwan increased their forays into Jordan’s area, they were also left prone to marauding counterattacks by the visitors, who found space and went deep into the hosts’ final third.
In the 37th minute, Pan blocked a shot by Faisal, but Ahmad Sameer collected the rebound and smashed home from the edge of the box for Jordan’s second goal.
After the intermission, Lancaster elected to bolster the offense behind the forward line, putting in attacking midfielder Will Donkin.
The English-Taiwanese teenager had an immediate effect with a slick run on the left side, taking the ball past two defenders before he hit a cross into the box, but could not connect with his teammates.
Pan kept Taiwan in the game, fending off close-range shots from Jordan’s forwards, including several tips over the bar to the applause of the home fans.
Taiwan’s offense were finally rewarded for their efforts in the 80th minute, when captain Chen Po-liang made a run into the left side of the 18-yard box and squared a pass to attacking midfielder Wen Chih-hao just inside the box.
Wen fired a shot past Jordan’s back line and goalkeeper Amir Shafi to open Taiwan’s account and cut the lead to 2-1.
However, Taiwan were unable to find a second goal.
Following the match, Borkelmans said that his side had played well, but could have scored more goals.
He also praised Pan for making several amazing saves, which he said kept Taiwan in the game.
Twelve days after winning her second Grand Slam title at the French Open, Coco Gauff fell at the first hurdle on grass in Berlin on Thursday as beaten Paris finalist Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the quarter-finals. Recipient of a first round bye, American Gauff lost 6-3, 6-3 to Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu as world number one Sabalenka beat Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) in her second round tie. Winner of 10 main tour titles, including the US Open in 2023 and the WTA Finals last year, Gauff has yet to lift a trophy in a grass-court tournament. “After I won the first
Sergio Ramos on Tuesday outfoxed two Inter players and artfully headed home the first goal for Monterrey at the FIFA Club World Cup. The 39-year-old Ramos slipped through the penalty area for the score just as he did for so many years in the shirts of Real Madrid and Spain’s national team, with whom he combined smarts, timing and physicality. Ramos’ clever goal and his overall defensive play at the Rose Bowl were major factors in Monterrey’s impressive 1-1 draw against the UEFA Champions League finalists in the clubs’ first match of the tournament. “There is always a joy to contribute to the
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka staged a “crazy comeback,” saving four match points before beating Elena Rybakina 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (6) in the quarter-finals of the Berlin Open on Friday. Sabalenka was 6-2 down in the final-set tie-breaker, but won six straight points to reach her eighth semi-final of the season. “Elena is a great player and we’ve had a lot of tough battles,” Sabalenka said. “I have no idea how I was able to win those last points. I think I just got lucky.” “I remember a long time ago when I was just starting, I won a lot of matches being down
While British star Jack Draper spent the past week trying to find rhythm and comfort in his first grass tournament of the season at the Queen’s Club Championships in London, Jiri Lehecka on Saturday bulldozed everything in his path. After more than two furious hours of battle, their form was reflected in the final scoreline as Lehecka toppled a frustrated Draper, the second seed, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to reach the biggest final of his career, against Carlos Alcaraz. Lehecka is also the first Czech to reach the men’s title match at Queen’s since Ivan Lendl lifted the trophy in 1990. Draper, who
RSS