Fri, Mar 07, 2008 page22

• Local boys discover losing a difficult habit to break

  • By Ron Brownlow / STAFF REPORTER
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  There were moments during Taipei Football Club's (TFC) match on Sunday when the Tavern Premier League's first and only majority Taiwanese side looked like they would lose. Again. For the 12th time this season.

  Such as when their vertically challenged goalkeeper couldn't jump high enough to touch a slow arching shot that nearly dropped into the net. Or the numerous missed chances from crosses.

  Not even when TFC jogged off the pitch in Taipei's Dajia at the end of the first half, with the score level at one-all, did they seem likely to pull off an upset.

  TFC often manage to hold their opponents in the first half, only to blow it in the second.

  "We lose because of stupid mistakes," said David Camhi, who coaches and plays for TFC, noting that all but two of their losses have been by a goal or two.

  "This has been our problem all year," he said.

  The Frenchman, who arrived in Taiwan on the morning of the Sept. 21, 1999, earthquake, had his work cut out for him when he founded TFC two years ago.

  Even his experienced players, the ones who played soccer in high school or college, were unfamiliar with basic positioning.

  Some found it rather intimidating facing foreigners who tend to be bigger and who play more aggressively.

  TFC are one of the latest additions to Taipei's Tavern Premier League (TPL), which formed to give foreigners more opportunities to play soccer.

  TFC began their match last Sunday afternoon with a record of no wins, three draws and 11 losses. They were last in the league, had scored the least number of goals and only one side had conceded more.

  Their opponents, Shane FC, named after the cram school franchise, entered the match needing a win to stay in sixth place and ahead of Japan FC, who won earliier in the day.

  Relentless play by Emmanuelle Silano, a thin Italian priest and TFC's other foreign player, helped keep TFC competitive in the first half.

  However, TFC barely had enough players to field a full side and they looked tired when they walked off at half-time.

  Then Ocean Fang arrived and started warming up a few minutes after the second half started. Fang also plays for the Taiwan National Sports Training Center soccer team, formerly known as the Taiwan Army soccer team.

  "Ocean, where do you want to play?" asked Camhi in Mandarin as Fang pulled on a red-and-black TFC jersey and trotted up to the touchline.

  Fang took over as striker and his presence palpably lifted his teammates' spirits. He scored twice, the second time from a free kick he neatly slotted inside the left post.

  He was denied a hat-trick with 10 minutes left when Shane's goalkeeper timed his advance perfectly and saved at the edge of his area.

  The trailing Shane were clearly fretting and turned up the heat as time ran out. TFC's defense collapsed under pressure and Shane found the net with three minutes to go.

  But the game ended before Shane could score again.

  "Finally, our first win," said Camhi as his players jogged off the field. "Guys! Gongxi," he said.

  The team were smiling but otherwise strangely quiet despite their achievement.

  With the win, TFC saw hope that they wouldn't finish this year propping up the table.

  More importantly, Camhi believes the win will give his team confidence and could attract new players.

  "For the first time, we kept our heads," Camhi said as he gathered his side's gear into a pink plastic bag.

  "I'm very happy we won," said midfielder Tseng Chih-chiang, drawing on a cigarette after the game. "Today is a happy day."

  Additional reporting by Michael Kearney
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