Taipei Times
Date: Aug 31, 2016 – Page 16
By: Jason Pan / Staff reporter
Taiwan’s coaches might have to juggle the lineup and improve the tactics for tomorrow’s international
Taiwan’s Wang Ruei, left, tackles Japan’s Takuya Shigehiro, center, from behind in their friendly in Taipei on Monday. Photo: Lin Cheng-king, Taipei Times
friendly against Japan after the hosts were unable to find the net, falling to the visitors 2-0 at the Taipei Municipal Stadium on Monday.
Taiwan coach Satoshi Imai experimented with an unorthodox 4-6-0 formation on Monday, in which both sides fielded college-level players who are eligible for next year’s Universiade in Taipei.
However, Imai’s tactic of packing six midfielders in the center of the pitch in a bid to win possession and push attacks from deep failed to create the intended result.
In that first game of the Taiwan-Japan friendly series, co-organized with the Japan University Football Association, Japan captain Takuya Shigehiro opened the account with a long-range effort in the 38th minute.
Taiwan almost got an equalizer three minutes from the break, when midfielder Chen Chia-chun fed a cross to Lo Chih-hsien in the box, but Lo headed the ball just wide of the post. [FULL STORY]
