Tainan TSG (Taiwan Steel Group) on Sunday clinched the Taiwan Football Premier League (TFPL) championship title, beating Taipower FC 1-0, despite a disputed penalty decision, while Tatung FC’s match against Taichung Futuro was marred by the announcement that its corporate sponsor would be ending its partnership with the club.
In the title showdown in Taoyuan, TSG won with a disputed penalty kick that came about 30 minutes into the match.
TSG’s Ivorian forward Ange Samuel took the ball inside the penalty area, with several Taipower players positioned to contain him, including defender and captain Lin Cheng-yi, who slid in front of Samuel to knock the ball toward the touchline. Samuel tripped over Lin’s outstretched leg, collapsing in a heap.
Photo courtesy of CTFA
The official awarded a penalty kick, despite protests from the distraught Taipower players, who insisted the tackle was fair as Lin connected with the ball first and was not aiming to trip Samuel.
TSG striker Marc Fenelus dispatched the spot-kick, but Taipower goalkeeper Chiu Yu-hong moved in the wrong direction, giving TSG the lead.
Taipower tried to find an equalizer, but squandered their chances on goal, as they were repeatedly thwarted by TSG’s defense and goalkeeper Pan Wen-chieh.
Photo courtsey of CTFA
When the whistle blew after nearly 10 minutes of added time, some Taipower players sat on the grass, while others hung their heads.
TSG took the league title with 34 points, three more than Taipower. The win means TSG are eligible to compete in the qualifiers for the AFC Cup.
“It is quite windy today, which made it difficult to control the ball,” TSG manager Lo Chih-tsung said after the match. “In facing such a tough opposition, we are very happy to win this game.”
“It is our aim to play in the AFC Cup. Clubs in Taiwan should have the long-term goal of challenging international competition, which can help Taiwan soccer improve. We look forward to a time when the title-winning team and runners-up both qualify for Asian club tournaments,” Lo said.
In Hsinchu County’s Jhubei City, Tatung played their final match, losing 3-1 to Futuro.
Burkinabe forward Ben Ouedraogo netted an equalizer to cancel out Futuro’s opening goal in the first half, before it was “Shotime” for Japanese star Shohei Yokoyama, who grabbed a brace for the eventual 3-1 victory, which left Futuro with 26 points to finish the season in third place.
The loss came as Tatung’s corporate sponsor ended nearly six decades of partnership with the club, founded in 1963 with the support of electronics giant Tatung Co.
The club had won the league’s top title several times, including with the three-peat champions title from 2017 to 2019.
On its Web site, the club confirmed the end of the sponsorship, with the message: “Goodbye does not mean the end,” suggesting it is looking to reform with new backing.
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