Taiwan’s women’s team showed genuine grit in a battling defeat but were ultimately out-muscled and out-maneuvered by their Australian hosts. Chen Jin-wen’s goal was a highlight for the Mulan, although the result could have been worse had Australia converted more of their chances.

Having lost back-to-back games with Brazil a week earlier, Australia started the game angry– and it showed. Within fifteen minutes, Taiwan were two-goals down and things felt ominous for the visitors.

Indeed, Taiwan seemed startled by the game’s initial intensity. Set up in a 3-5-2, Australia had quickly gained control of the middle of the field and dominated possession.

The first goal was disappointing for Taiwan. Ten minutes into the game, Australia had a corner which was quickly played short to Chloe Logarzo. The midfielder was afforded all the time in the world to pick out Daniela Galic in the penalty box. The cross was accurate and Galic selflessly nodded the ball across goal for Natasha Prior to fire home.

There was hardly time to show the reply of the first goal before Australia scored again. After deftly stepping inside to avoid Huang Ke-sing, Tameka Yallop’s long ball sent Michelle Hayman free along the right flank. Hayman then showed great smarts herself to draw her defender out of the middle.

With Taiwan pulled out of shape, Emily Gielnik surged through the middle to receive the through-ball. Her shot crashed off the crossbar but the rebound was gobbled up by Sharn Freier for the game’s second goal.

For a few minutes, it felt like the floodgates were about to open. Taiwan had no answer to Australian’s width and off-ball movement. It probably should have the start of a rout but nerves eventually settled.

Having weathered the storm, Taiwan then scored themselves in the thirty-fourth minute. After repelling another Australia attack, Chan Pi-han got the ball just outside her penalty box and immediately played it forward. Her long pass was perfectly placed between two backpedaling Australian defenders, allowing Chen to steal the ball amid the uncertainty. With work still to be done, the winger then jinked into enough space to fire a shot past Mackenzie Arnold.

It was a great goal that was unfairly dismissed by some media as an Australian mistake rather than Taiwan’s refusal to quit. The visitors were back in the game and had briefly silenced the crowd in the process.

Taiwan continued to have chances but were never allowed to fully assert themselves. Instead, Australia kept looking for goals. Wang Yu-ting, playing only her fourth international game, was kept busy as the home side peppered her goal with shots.

The third Australian goal eventually arrived and when it did, it was all too familiar to the second goal. Now it was Charlotte Grant’s turn to bring the ball up the field, and her great pass released Yallop down the left side.

The sudden transition had created a two-versus-two fast break. Knowing the cross was coming, Su Sin-yun and Chin Ying-hui both instinctively moved across to block it. But in doing so, the defenders left space at the far post that was eagerly filled by Bryleeh Henry. The striker had so much time that she initially slipped before regaining her footing and nodding the ball home.

Australia had earned their third goal but Taiwan also deserved to not concede again. Having defended doggedly for most of the game, the Mulan kept fighting until the final whistle. Australia, who enjoyed 70% possession and twenty-five shots for the game, had also made their point.

At the full-time whistle, both sides walked off the field with heads held high. The two nations will play again in a couple of days and each can take lessons from this encounter. Australia were somewhat wasteful in front of goal. Taiwan, meanwhile, were outfoxed by the movement and transition play of the hosts.

Photo credit: AP