China’s women outclass Taiwan’s to advance to the Asian Games final

China a level above

China’s women defeated Taiwan’s in the Asian Games semifinal. China outclassed Taiwan as the game was played out in Taiwan’s half of the pitch, with Taiwan content to sit back and soak up wave after wave of Chinese attacks.

China’s quality shone through as they controlled the game from the start to the finish, and therefore had the majority of possession, and had over 30 shots on goal. Taiwan had 9 players back defending all game, and it was difficult for China to break through, but they kept banging on the door and eventually scored a scrappy goal to put them 1-0 up. It stayed at 1-0 and will look like a close game in the records but it was anything but, the game played outside of Taiwan’s box, as Taiwan defended with 9 players for the whole game making it difficult for China to find space when attacking however the higher level of China’s players shone through in the end and one of their billion shots eventually found the net. 

Taiwan show no ambition to attack and employ baffling tactics

Taiwan’s women went down the same route as the men tactically, that means they had everyone back in defence other than the poor lass who was told to chase hopeless long punts down the field all night. You can understand being ultra defensive against a stronger team in a league format, but you’re now playing in the knock out part of the competition and need to show some ambition in scoring otherwise you have no chance in winning. 

Even when Taiwan went a goal down, they didn’t make any attempt to chase the game, and things were just left as they were with 9 players back in defensive positions. No attacking changes were made until 70 minutes, and then the last two subs used on the 80th minute mark. Even when more attackers were thrown into the game, they were still told to play in the same formation. It was like Taiwan were happy to just lose 1-0. 

Someone involved in Taiwanese football needs to change the default tactic

Taiwan’s default tactic is used at every level of Taiwanese football, it would be described as a counter attacking, but it is utilized terribly. It consists of having one guy/girl up top on their own, and when you win the ball back you just hammer it forward, either in front of the striker to chase or to the wings to chase. 

The Asian Games results have shown how floored this tactic is, the men’s team were exposed badly in each game they played, and the only reason the men got a point at all was because of the heroics of goalkeeper Pan in their first matchup against Palestine, other than that they were taken apart. 

The lasses done better in general, but women’s football is generally a lower standard than the men’s game even though it is improving some countries are still very far behind in the process of developing their women’s teams. If you don’t control the football you won’t win many games, and Taiwanese teams struggle to control the football in a lot of matches they play in as they look to hoof a long through ball from one end of the pitch to the other, sometimes an aimed hoof, a lot of times an aimless hoof. This style of play needs changed badly. 

China vs Japan in the final 

It is better for the neutral that China made the final instead of Taiwan, and that is based solely on the style of play employed by both nations. China controlled the ball, passed it around a lot, and created chances down the flanks. Taiwan on the other hand had everyone camped inside their own box defending for their lives in the hope they won’t concede any goals and win by snatching a goal on the break. 

For neutral fans, there is no question that they would rather watch teams who are trying to play football properly instead of a team who is camped in their own box and barely breaks out of their half to attack. This final is a winner for fans of women’s football because if Taiwan got there the final would have been garbage as a spectacle, as much as it pains me to say it, because I wanted Taiwan to win, in the end China deserved to win and advance to the final. Taiwan will now face South Korea in the bronze medal match, and China will play Japan for the gold and silver medals. Those games will take place on Friday.