A critical double header of games against Thailand are coming up for Taiwan’s mens team. But if the Blue Wings are going to get anything out of their AFC Finals qualification games, they will have to do it the hard way.

Although manager Huang Che-ming, will have his pick of domestic based players, he will be missing almost all of his best overseas stars. As it stands, only Chris Tiao (New York City FC) and captain, Chen Po-liang (Qingdao West Coast) will be playing for Taiwan this week. 

That means that all three of Taiwan’s first choice forwards; Swedish-based Miguel Sandberg (GIF Sundsvall) plus Chinese based Ange Kouamé (Liaoning Tieren) and Yu Yao-hsing (Foshan Nanshi) are all going to be missing. The experienced midfielder Emilio Estevez (Tanjong Pagar), who plays in Singapore, will also miss the games. The reasons behind these situations are currently unclear.

The squad announced by the Chinese Taipei FA may change slightly but for now, this is what Taiwan will be working with for a two-game series in which Taiwan need to win *at least* once to have any chance of qualifying for the AFC finals next year.

Current Taiwan Squad for Thailand games

GK: Hsuan Tuan (AC Taipei), Huang Chiu-lin (Taipower), Odo Jacobs (Hang Yuan)

DF: Chris Tiao (New York City FC)  Fong Shao-qi (Tainan City), Huang Tzu-ming (Taipower), Wei Pei-lun, Chao Wei-jie (all Tatong FC)

MF: Tsai Meng-chen (AC Taipei), Chen Po-liang (Qingdao West Coast), Guo Bowei, Yao Ko-chi (Tainan City), Tu Shao-jie, Xu Bojie, Zhao Mingxiu (all Taipower), Yu Chia-huang (Tatong FC), 

FW: Chen Chao-an (Taipower), Huang Wei-jie (AC Taipei), Jhon Benchy (Tainan City), Yuan Yong-cheng (Ribarroja CF)

Photo Credit: Chinese Taipei FA