Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Kuala Lumpur: Chinese Taipei booked their place in the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship after edging Hong Kong 5-4 after extra-time in the East Zone qualifying competition to join China and Korea Republic at the tournament proper in the UAE next May.
Friday's match at the Cheras Indoor Stadium represented the final throw of the qualification dice for the both teams and their desire to participate in the AFC Futsal Championship was clear to see in a hard-fought encounter that went right down to the wire.
Lo Chih-an opened the scoring for Chinese Taipei but his sixth minute effort was cancelled out after just 120 seconds as Chow Ka Wa drew Hong Kong level.
Liu Chi Chi-chao regained Chinese Taipei's lead two minutes into the second period but again the advantage was short-lived with YipTsz Chun restoring parity four minutes later before Lau Ka Shing gave Hong Kong the upper hand after just sixty seconds.
Hong Kong were just two minutes away from qualifying for the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship when Liu scored his second of the match to force extra-time, in which Chinese Taipei took the initiative with three minutes gone as Lo bagged his brace.
Chu Kwok Leung pulled Hong Kong level four minutes later but it was Chinese Taipei that would have the final say, with Weng Wei-pin scoring the decisive goal in the 49th minute of play to send his side through to UAE 2012.