Chinese Taipei Football Association (CTFA) secretary-general Fang Ching-jen yesterday touted the success of the Taiwan Business Bank Taiwan Futsal League after Chiayi Tienching on Sunday displayed their all-conquering form and collected the championship trophy with a 5-2 win over YTFC at the Pingtung County Stadium.
Since January, when the season began, Chiayi Tienching scored a perfect 10 wins off 10 games to collect 30 points.
Taichung Traveler were second, finishing on 22 points with seven wins, two losses and one draw, while CTFA U20 were third on 17 points with five wins, three losses and two draws.
Photo courtesy of CTFA
In the season’s final round on Sunday, Taichung Traveler prevailed 6-4 over CTFA U20, while Fangyi Precision of Kaohsiung pummeled Inter Taoyuan 11-4, with all of the matches in Pingtung County.
Soccer pundits were not surprised at Chiayi Tienching’s success, as the team is based on players from Chiayi County’s Wufeng University, which has a long history of soccer programs and as a powerhouse in central Taiwan.
The team previously competed as Wufeng University, but this year changed their name to Chiayi Tienching, after receiving sponsorship from Tien Ching Energy.
Fang yesterday said the league has been a big success, as it has boosted public interest, cultivated young talent and developed players for international competitions.
“We are looking to expand from six to eight teams next season, but also need to carefully assess the new clubs, as they should improve the league and enhance overall competitiveness,” he said.
“This season we saw Chiayi Tienching win all of their games, but it would be better for the league to have strong sides that are able to compete on par with them... All six teams this year are based in a city or county, which will be the requirement for new clubs,” Fang said.
In Taiwan Football Premier League action on Sunday, Tatung FC’s Honduran midfielder Elias Argueta scored twice during his team’s 3-0 rout of Land Home-NTUS at the Taipei Stadium.
In the 19th minute, Argueta followed up on a rebound, hitting a low drive into the net. Just past the half-hour mark he streaked past the NTUS defenders, picking up a loose ball to coolly score again.
Three minutes after intermission, after good work by attacking midfielders Hsu Fan-shao and Chang Hao-wei, the ball was passed across the field to forward Chen Po-hao, who had replaced Argueta. Chen slotted the ball home at close range to ensure victory for Tatung.
“Elias did well with his two goals today,” Tatung manager Chiang Mu-tsai said.
“We will work hard on the final touch, which we didn’t do so well at the start of the season,” he added.
In other games, CPC FC defender Weng Wei-ping thumped the ball home during a scramble after a corner-kick shortly after the intermission, taking his team to a 1-0 win over Flight Skywalkers in Kaohsiung.
In New Taipei City, Huang Yuan FC fought to draw 1-1 against Taipower.
Tainan TSG Hawks slugger Steven Moya, who is leading the CPBL in home runs, has withdrawn from this weekend’s All-Star Game after the unexpected death of his wife. Moya’s wife began feeling severely unwell aboard a plane that landed at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Friday evening. She was rushed to a hospital, but passed away, the Hawks said in a statement yesterday. The franchise is assisting Moya with funeral arrangements and hopes fans who were looking forward to seeing him at the All-Star Game can understand his decision to withdraw. According to Landseed Medical Clinic, whose staff attempted to save Moya’s wife,
Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday homered for the fifth consecutive game, tying a Los Angeles Dodgers franchise record. Yankees star Aaron Judge was the last player to homer in five consecutive games, accomplishing that feat last year. Ohtani, who leads the National League with 37 home runs, homered in the first inning off Minnesota Twins starter Chris Paddack. He hit a slow curveball 134m to center. He carried the bat midway down the first-base line and then did a bat flip. He did not hit a home run later in the game with the Dodgers trailing, but his presence was felt. With two outs
Taiwan’s world No. 6 shuttler Chou Tien-chen yesterday defeated India’s H.S. Prannoy to advance to the quarter-finals of the China Open in Changzhou. It was former world No. 2 Chou’s eighth win in 14 matches against Prannoy, who had earlier this week lamented the age divide between him and up-and-comers, although he is only two years younger than 35-year-old Chou. The Taiwanese, who is seeded sixth at the tournament, rebounded from a close 21-18 loss in game 1 on Court 2 at the Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium. He bounced back to take the next games 21-15, 21-8 and set up a tough quarter-final
The Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday acquired Taiwanese-American outfielder Stuart Fairchild from the Atlanta Braves for cash considerations to fill the roster after All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe was placed back on the injured list. Fairchild was designated for assignment by the Braves on Monday after hitting .216/.273/.333 in 28 games for Atlanta, with most of his work coming as a pinch runner or defensive replacement. He joins Tampa Bay as a versatile fourth outfielder option. To make room for Fairchild on the 40-man roster, the Rays transferred relief pitcher Manuel Rodriguez (forearm strain) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day
RSS