China will face Taiwan in the hotly contested quarter-finals of the Women’s Asian Cup, which has already become a political focal point.
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Published March 13, 2026
China’s coach Ante Milicic called on his players to be “calm and confident” in Saturday’s Women’s Asian Cup quarter-final match against Taiwan.
The reigning champion is aiming for a record-extending 10th continental title, but is wary of an opponent who has shown improvement as the tournament progresses.
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Taiwan lost to powerful Japan 0-2 in the group stage, but they were by no means defeated.
“They gave Japan a very difficult game and they went on to win the next two games, so we know this is going to be a difficult proposition,” Milicic said ahead of the match in Perth.
“But if we execute our game plan and perform to the level we know we can, that should be enough to get a result.
“If we follow a clear process and play each game with calm and confidence, we will be successful and we hope we can make further progress in the tournament.”
Like China, Taiwan has had strong support at the tournament in Australia, but not without controversy.
In the final match against India in Sydney, former Taiwanese coach Chen Gui-ren was ejected from the stadium for leading chants of “Taiwan Chia Yong”, or “Good luck Taiwan”.
Following his dismissal, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodged a complaint with the Asian Football Confederation, citing “unequal treatment.”
Taiwan will participate in international sporting events under the name “Chinese Taipei”.
This is part of a political compromise with China that will allow the island to participate in major competitions without representing itself as a sovereign state.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory.
Taiwan coach Prasobchok Chokemol focused on soccer during Friday’s pre-match press conference.
“I can say we did well against Japan by keeping the match to a 0-0 draw in the first half,” said the Thai.
“It will be a different match tactically, but I am confident that if we focus on ourselves and play as a team, we will be able to compete against top-level players.”
Not only the semi-finals, but also the qualification for the 2027 World Cup will be at stake, with the top six finishers earning a ticket to the Brazil tournament.
