Taichung Futuro and Taipower FC won their matches in the eighth round of the Taiwan Premier Football League (TPFL) over the weekend to sit atop the log, while Wu Shih-ping scored a hat-trick for her Hualien team to retain first place in the Taiwan Mulan Football League.
International players helped Taichung Futuro maintain their No. 1 spot with 19 points.
South Korean striker Joo Ik-seong netted a brace and Japanese defender Keita Yamauchi scored his first goal of the season to beat cross-town rivals Land-Home NTUS (National Taiwan University of Sport) 3-2 at Taichung’s Taiyuan Soccer Field on Sunday.
Photo courtesy of the CTFA
Joo scored in the 18th minute after an early opening goal by NTUS striker Chen Po-yu to make it 1-1 going into the break. Taichung Futuro moved ahead shortly after intermission after Yamauchi scored.
Joo found the net again in 85th minute, leaving Taichung Futuro up 3-1.
Chen scored a consolation goal in injury time.
With this being their third consecutive win, Taichung Futuro remain undefeated with five wins and three draws, and hold on to first place on 19 points.
Taipower are only one point behind in second place, after they prevailed 1-0 at home at the Kaohsiung National Stadium on Sunday over their traditional rivals, Taipei-based Tatung.
Midfielder Lin Chien-hsun curled in a shot from just outside of the box late in the first half.
Tatung pushed to equalize and came close when facing a 10-man Taipower after midfielder Hsieh Po-an was sent off for his second bookable offense, but the home team held on.
It was sunny and hot in southern Taiwan, but heavy afternoon rain in Taipei made conditions hard for Hang Yuan, who were playing at home at the Fu Jen University grounds. They drew against the Red Lions.
Hang Yuan and Tatung are third and fourth on the log, with 15 and 13 points respectively.
Meanwhile in women’s soccer, Hualien on Saturday kept up their stellar performance, with star striker Wu scoring a hat-trick to crush Hang Yuan at Kaohsiung National Stadium.
Tan Wen-lin also contributed by netting two goals in the 6-1 rout.
It was one of three matches in the Taiwan Mulan Football League on Saturday, with Taichung Blue Whale defeating Taipei Bravo Bear 2-1, and Taoyuan International downing Kaohsiung Sunny Bank 2-1.
For the first time since disease prevention measures were implemented, 300 spectators were allowed to attend the matches at each venue.
Spectators had their temperatures taken and their hands disinfected before entering the grounds, and had to fill out a health declaration form.
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