The Mulan League’s big three all had much needed results against weaker sides but some of the teams had an easier experience than others. Among the results were a couple of sensational individual performances as well as one side getting a badly needed win to lift them within touching distance of the top four places in the league standings.

Hualien: 0 – Hang Yuan: 2

Hang Yuan made it three wins in a row with an efficient dismantling of Hualien. The league leaders were ahead within four minutes when Miwa Tanaka‘s curling shot from just inside the box capped off a great team move as Hang Yuan worked the ball down the left-hand side of the field.

Hang Yuan’s second was just as deserved but less pleasing. A hopeful cross from the left flank bounced around the box amid the blustery conditions and Hualien’s Hsiao Ya-hsuan‘s clearance was deflected back towards the goal and into the bottom corner of the net by He Jia-shiuan.

Fourth place Hualien’s Chen Yen-ping could have pulled a goal back for her side but rushed her shot midway through the first half and that would be as close as it got for the hosts.

Taichung Blue Whale: 2 – AC Taipei: 1

The Blue Whale kept their own title chances alive and remain in second place with a nervy win over AC Taipei. Taichung took the lead thanks to two impressive moments of magic, beginning with Chen Ying-hui‘s inch-perfect, fifty-yard pass from out of defense that was then beautifully finished by Maho Tanaka, as the latter smashed an arching half-volley over the keeper and into the corner of the net.

Tanaka continued her virtuoso performance in the second half when she controlled a cross-field ball with a great first touch before setting off on a mazy run toward inside box. Having drawn three different AC Taipei players towards her, she selflessly passed the ball onto Tatiana Ewodo, whose shot was saved but the rebound was poked home by an opportunistic Pitsamai Sornsai.

AC Taipei got a goal back following a speedy counterattack led by Sarah Matsuyama, who dribbled the ball unopposed for almost thirty yards before sliding the ball across the box for a close-range finish for Hsu Yi-yun. But with five minutes left to play, Taichung had enough know-how to finish the game off and get the win.

Taipei Bravo: 0 – Taichung Sakura: 1

Sakura squeaked by bottom place Taipei Bravo but relied upon a moment of bad luck to escape with three points.

Despite enjoying the majority of the chances, Sakura found themselves being thwarted by Bravo keeper, Tseng Min-hsien, for most of the game. However, the only goal of the game arrived when a backpedaling Tseng fumbled Lai Li-chin’s cross in her gloves and could only watch in horror as it rolled across the goal line.

Valkyrie: 0 – Kaohsiung Attackers: 3

An impressive performance from third place Kaohsiung’s quartet of Japanese stars kept them within range of the top of the standings after they put the game to bed early with an ruthless first half performance.

The Attackers went ahead with twenty-one minutes played after Kirara Fujio pounced on weak defensive header before charging past two Valkyrie defenders and finishing powerfully into the roof of the net. Kaohsiung doubled their lead through the hard work of Nao Tsukamoto as the winger exchanged one-two passes with multiple players as she stormed down the left-hand side before calmly crossing the ball to the waiting Marin Hamamoto to tap in at the near post.

Hamamoto then turned provider for the third goal three minutes before halftime. With Kaohsiung probing for space down the right, Hamamoto dropped deep to pick up the ball but also dragged a Valkyrie defender with her. Having created the space, she deftly found Minori Wakabayashi with a through-ball into the unoccupied space and the forward took the ball into the area before finishing cooly for the third goal.

Game Footage:

Hualien FC vs. Hang Yuan

Taichung Blue Whale vs. AC Taipei

Taipei Bravo vs. Taichung Sakura

Valkyrie FC vs. Kaoshiung Attackers

Photo Credit: Instagram @ Garrincha_77