Taiwan’s hope of qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time in 32 years was yesterday dealt a blow after the national team lost to Vietnam in the last game of the playoff series.
Vietnam beat Taiwan 2-1 in the final game of the three-team round robin playoffs to secure the fifth and final automatic World Cup qualifying spot at the Women’s Asian Cup in India.
Taiwan now moves to a 10-team inter-confederation tournament in February next year for a chance to secure one of the final three spots for the World Cup, cohosted by Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to Aug. 20 next year.
Photo courtesy of the Chinese Taipei Football Association via CNA
Taiwan head coach Kazuo Echigo said he was disappointed, but believes the team would ultimately qualify.
“I also hope that fans will continue to support the women’s national soccer team as the opportunity to enter the World Cup is still there,” he said, adding: “Please believe [me] that we will punch our ticket to the World Cup.”
Six Taiwanese players were unavailable after they tested positive for COVID-19, while Vietnam had a full squad of 23.
Vietnam opened the scoring at D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai in the seventh minute with a header from defender Chuong Thi Kieu, who rose to nod home a corner from teammate Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung.
In a matchup favoring Taiwan because of its superiority over Vietnam in goals in the playoffs, midfielder Wu Kai-ching passed to forward Su Yu-hsuan who sent the ball flying past Vietnam goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh into the bottom left corner in the 49th minute.
With the game tied, Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy collected a cross from teammate Thai Thi Thao before scoring with a scorching shot that flew past Taiwan goalkeeper Tsai Ming-jung in the 56th minute.
Taiwan was unable to create any scoring chances in the remainder of the match, while Vietnam secured a historic first appearance at the World Cup.
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