Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Mandalay: There were wins for Myanmar and Chinese Taipei as the second round of qualifiers for the 2016 Olympic Games kicked-off on Monday, with the hosts defeating Jordan 2-0 after the East Asians edged 2014 AFC Women’s Asian Cup hosts Vietnam 1-0 in the opening fixture.
Chinese Taipei had to overcome Iran and Laos in the first phase of qualification to book their place in the five-team second round while the higher-seeded Vietnam were taking their first steps on the road to Rio, having received a bye, and went into Monday’s match as one of the favourites to progress.
However, it was Chinese Taipei who claimed all three points when second-half substitute Lin Chiung-yin scored the only goal of the game to give Masayuki Nagira's side the narrow victory, with defender Lin, who replaced midfielder Tsou Hsin-ni at the start of the second period, netting the match-winner with five minutes left to play.
In the later fixture Myanmar defeated fellow first round qualifiers Jordan 2-0 with the second round hosts scoring in each half to end Match Day 1 top of the table on goal difference.
Khin Moe Wai, joint top-scorer in the first round alongside team-mate Win Theingi Tun, had the near 4000 spectators at the Mandalar Thiri Stadium celebrating after 17 minutes when she bagged her seventh of the qualifiers before Wai Wai Aung sealed the win with Myanmar’s second in the 72nd minute.
The action continues on Wednesday when Myanmar face Thailand with the home side looking for revenge after their 2-1 loss to the Thais in the Group Stage of last year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup, while Jordan aim to get their Olympic qualifying campaign back on track when they take on Chinese Taipei in the earlier fixture.
The team that emerges top of the five-team table on September 22 will join reigning Asian champions Japan, 2014 AFC Women’s Asian Cup runners-up Australia, DPR Korea, China, and Korea Republic in the Qualification Final Round, with the top two sides going on to represent Asia at the women’s football tournament of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.