EN
 PS -  Tainan City FC (TPE) 4-1 Khangarid Klub (MNG)
Taipei: Tainan City FC booked their spot in the AFC Challenge League™ 2025/26 Group Stage with a 4-1 win against Khangarid FC in their Preliminary Stage tie on Tuesday.
The Chinese Taipei side made good on home advantage at Taipei Municipal Stadium to best the Mongolian outfit to secure their second straight season on the continental stage.

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Tainan City had early opportunities to take the lead but Mohamed Sakkouh’s long range strike sailed over the bar before Facundo Aranda’s stinging shot was parried away by Khangarid custodian Ariunbold Batsaikhan.

Aranda was not to be denied in the 21st minute, arriving at the back post to smash home the opener after Estama Benchy had missed Matheus Porto’s cross from the left.
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Khangarid looked for a response and could have found one in the 33rd minute if not for the brilliance of experienced goalkeeper Pan Wen-Chieh who produced back-to-back stops to deny Baljinnyam Batbold and Katsuyoshi Kimshima.

The home side wasted a good opportunity four minutes into the restart when Porto rounded Batsaikhan but sent his shot into the side netting.
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Tainan City eventually got their second goal in the 58th minute thanks to a stunning curled free-kick from Sakkouh that nestled in the bottom corner before Batsaikhan could react.
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Khangarid, however, would not give up without a fight with Kaito Asano pulling a goal back in the 71st minute, chesting Yuta Mishima’s pass before rifling past Pan.

The contest, however, was settled 10 minutes later when Sakkouh played Benchy through to slot past Batsaikhan and kill any hopes of a Khangarid comeback with Enkh-Erdene Turtogtokh’s unfortunate own goal in stoppage time adding further misery for the Mongolian side.