Taiwan were within touching distance of a major milestone in their footballing history but came just short in a nervy, passionate game against Hong Kong. The ‘unofficial final’ of the EAFF Prelims had everything except the result the Blue Wings wanted and the plane back to Taipei now beckons.

Both teams spent the opening fifteen minutes cagily trying to get the measure of the other. With the winners facing lowly Guam in the Prelim Final, everyone knew this game decided who was headed to the EAFF Finals next June.

But inevitably, Hong Kong struck first. Due to goal difference, Taiwan only required a draw to advance, whereas the hosts needed to win or be eliminated. With such clear stakes, Hong Kong could not afford to wait around.

The goal itself was pretty simple. Switching the play down the right, Hong Kong found Walter just outside the six yard box. Sensing the danger, Taiwan’s defense began to drift across to close down the striker. It was the right idea but the wrong decision.

As soon as the Blue Wings defenders began to converge, the ball was clipped across where a waiting Matt Orr firmly placed his shot away from Huang Chiu-lin and into the corner of the net. Hong Kong were ahead, much to the delight of the capacity home crowd.

With the pendulum having swung their way, it was Taiwan’s turn to stare at elimination. Stunned into life, they almost equalized within a couple of minutes but Yu Yao-hsing blazed over from close range.

Yu, who had been benched in the previous game against Mongolia, was playing with a point to prove. Soon after, Taiwan poured forward in numbers and with the Hong Kong backline stretched too thinly, Yuo got himself one-on-one with his marker. Having received the ball, he turned inside, and after scuffing his shot the first time, dispatched the second-chance opportunity to level the game up.

With the scoreline back in their favor, Taiwan were content to let Hong Kong have the ball for the rest of the first-half. Although they were enjoying the lions share of possession, the home side looked nervous. If they pushed forward too much, Taiwan could hit them on the counter attack. If they lingered on the ball, they couldn’t score the much-needed second goal.

Taiwan continued to let Hong Kong wallow in their anxiety for most of the second half as well. Apart from a brief flurry of activity when Miguel Sandburg twice blazed shots over the bar in the space of a couple of minutes, the Blue Wings rarely saw much of the ball.

But Hong Kong were coming and the danger was most evident down the right hand side. Orr hit the post on 63 minutes after he was the first player to reach Awal Mahama’s cross.

Hong Kong absolutely should have scored with fifteen minutes left to play but from six-yards out and with the entirety of the goal to aim at, Everton Carmargo blazed another cross over the bar. The entire stadium groaned in unison. It felt like the game had gone.

Yet with time running out, Hong Kong had one final chance to score. With a corner on the left-hand side, the home side loaded up the box and went for broke. Taiwan, meanwhile, were briefly down to ten men as Chiang Po-liang was taken off the field for medical treatment.

Lacking their most experienced player to call out instructions, the worst case scenario happened as Tsui Wang Kit leapt over everyone at the near post. His powerful header flew into the back of the net and Taiwan were behind once again with only four minutes left to play.

Amid raucous scenes in the stands, Taiwan tried to restart themselves but the energy was gone. Hong Kong would not be denied and defended with all eleven men behind the ball. With no space and hardly any time, Taiwan were doomed.

The final couple of minutes became a formality and at the full-time whistle, Hong Kong’s players fell to their knees in relief. They have one more game to play but barring a remarkable upset, they are through to the EAFF finals.

Taiwan, meanwhile, will be left with the memory of what might have been. Shaking his head as he walked off the field, it was clear that head coach Gary White felt they should have closed the game out. Hong Kong were the better side but Taiwan will be kicking themselves for getting so close to a showpiece finals but falling at the final hurdle.

Photo Credit: South China Morning Post