April, 10, 2021
Taichung Blue Whale 0-0 Hualien
Taoyaun International 0-5 Taipei Bravo
Hang Yuen 1-2 Kaohsiung Sunny Bank
The new season of Taiwan’s Mulan Premier League started at the week-end with the same six sides as last season but with a change to the format. Rather than all three matches being played in the same stadium over the one day, clubs will now host their own games so that there is a genuine home and away element to the league. Spectators are also now permitted to watch matches.
The pick of the first round of games was the visit of Hualien, the unbeaten 2020 Champions and League Cup winner, to Taichung Blue Whale, runner-up to Hualien in both competitions, but champions between 2017 to 2019.
Hualien beat Taichung in all three league matches last season as well as the League Cup Final. Taichung only failed to win one other match, whereas Hualien were held to draws on three occasions by other teams. Certainly, Hualien seemed to have had Taichung number and were adroit in exposing the Blue Whale’s uncertainty in the air, and scored several times from corners or crosses. Goalkeeping was also a concern for Taichung.
Taichung appear to have strengthened their squad in an effort to regain the title, with the signing of Hong Kong International keeper Ng Cheuk Wai as part of attempt to improve their defence. Another interesting signing is Thai International forward Pitsamai Sornsai, who according to FIFA.com has scored 75 goals in 115 appearances for Thailand !
Taichung still have Michelle Pao, last season’s leading goal scorer with 21 goals, who plays either on the left or right side of midfield rather than as an out and out striker. However, missing from the Blue Whale starting XI were Japanese midfielder Maho Tanaka and Lee Hsih Chen, who scored 10 goals last season but has joined Kaohsiung.
In contrast, Hualien fielded exactly the same line-up that started the League Cup final last November. Well, I presume that was the case, given the lack of information in English on the team line-ups, as the numbers of the players were the same ! Striker Wu Shi Ping scored 18 goals last season and fellow forward Tan Wen Lin scored 10 times and was credited with 9 assists.
The match was played in front of a decent crowd, with what looked to be several hundred spectators packed under sun-canopies sitting on benches. The home side had decked their small ground with dozens of banners in blue, one or two in English, to add to the spectacle.
The crowd were treated to a cagey affair with chances few and far between and plenty of robust challenges. Predictably Taichung’s best efforts involved Pao, in the first half running in from the left to shoot left footed for Hualien keeper Hung Lin to parry above her head, and in the second half cutting back in from the left to curl a right footed shot across goal but just wide of the far post. For Hualien, Wen Lin’s lob was headed off the line with keeper Wai stranded, and South Korean captain and midfield play-maker Xian Gyi Huang sent a volley fractionally wide. Both sides seemed to be happy with a point at the end.
Taipei Bravo were the best of the rest last season, and at least have the names of their players in Roman script on the back of their shirts ! The opened their campaign with an emphatic 5-0 victory at Taoyuan International. However, they had to wait until the 37 minutes to open their account, when Wang ( No 6 ) got to the by-line and pulled back to Kai Jou Liang ( No 11 ) for a simple finish. Wang added the second on the stroke of half-time with a half-volley from the edge of the area in to the top corner after a cross had been headed away from the Inter goal.
That goal effectively ended the game as a contest and Taipei Bravo added three more goals in the second half. Pan Sheng Hua ( No 10 ) scored at the second attempt in the 60th minute after her first effort was blocked, Chi-Hul Lin ( No 12 ) forced the ball over the line after Ding ( No 7 ) mis-hit her shot, and just before the end Ding rounded the Taoyuan keeperfor a tap-in after breaking clear.
Kaohsiung won only one match in 2020, and that game in the final game of the season. They appear to have made a lot of changes to their squad, and in particular, Lee Hsih Chen made an immediate impact after joining from Taichung Blue Whale. First, she opened the scoring in the 6 minute, easily rounding the keeper after an incisive pass from No 11, and then created the winning goal with a strong run from inside her own half and then unselfishly squared for Ka Qing ( No 14 ) to scramble the ball over the line from 6 yards. In-between Hang Yuen had equalised from the penalty spot. Kaohsiung’s centre-back ( No 22 ) spoilt an otherwise decent performance by bringing down Yi Wen ( No 8 ), who then converted the penalty. On the evidence of one match Kaohsiung probably won’t be getting the wooden spoon this season !
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