Perfect warm-ups for Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei

Published on: 06 October 2017

Kuala Lumpur: Hong Kong warmed up for Tuesday's round of  Asian Cup 2019 qualifiers with a 4-0 win over Laos in a friendly on Thursday.

There was also a win for Chinese Taipei, who beat Mongolia 4-2, ahead of resuming their Asian Cup 2019 Group E qualifying campaign on Tuesday.

However, fellow Asian Cup 2019 hopefuls Myanmar and Singapore suffered defeats in friendlies against Thailand and Qatar respectively.

Hong Kong, who face Malaysia in an Asian Cup 2019 Group B qualifier on Tuesday, took the lead against Laos through Tarres Paramo in the 10th minute.

Three minutes later, they were 2-0 up as Wai Wong found the back of the net.

Godfred Karikari (73rd) and Alessandro Ferreira Leonardo (penalty, 83rd) completed a resounding win for Hong Kong, who need to beat Malaysia to keep in touch with group leaders Lebanon.

Lebanon are on seven points, with DPR Korea and Hong Kong both with two points. Malaysia have one point.  

Chinese Taipei, with newly-appointed coach Gary White in charge for the first time, suffered an early shock as Mongolia took the lead in the fourth minute through midfielder Tsagaantsooj Munkh-Erdene.

Chinese Taipei bounced back in the 41st minute when Onur Dogan found the back of the net.

Dohan turned provider for his team's second goal as his cross seven minutes into the second half was perfectly met by Chen Po-liang.

Chinese Taipei's lead was further widened in the 56th minute as Po-Liang converted from the penalty spot after Chen Hao-wei was brought down.

Mongolia, however, gave themselves hope of a comeback when striker Naranbold Nyam-Osor reduced the deficit in the 75th minute.

It wasn't to be as Jiang Sin-long scored Chinese Taipei's fourth in the 86th minute to give coach White a winning start and his team a perfect tune-up ahead of their Asian Cup Group E Qualifier against table-toppers Bahrain on Tuesday. 

Fellow Group E contenders Singapore, however, didn't get a morale booster as they fell 3-1 to Qatar in Doha. 

Singapore face second-placed Turkmenistan on Tuesday, badly needing a win to keep their hopes alive.

Myanmar, second in Group A of the Asian Cup qualifying, were beaten 3-1 by Thailand in Yangon.

Myanmar face Kyrgyz Republic on Tuesday with both teams hoping leaders India are tripped by Macau in the group's other clash.

A win for India will seal them a place in the Asian Cup 2019 with two matches to spare.

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Sources: Hong Kong Football Association, Chinese Taipei Football Association 

Source: the-afc.com

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