The British Deaflympic men’s soccer team beat Businessman’s League champions Taipei City FC 3-0 in a warmup match in Tianmu yesterday. A 4:30pm kick off on a pitch half covered in shadow with a gentle breeze blowing were about as ideal conditions as the teams could have wished for considering the recent heat.
Taipei City, a team consisting of expats living and working in Taiwan, started the brighter and had the best of the early chances. Steve Raymond went close after 15 minutes with a shot from the right wing that beat Great Britain keeper Craig Rathey but went just wide of the post. Raymond again rocked the generally solid British defense five minutes later with a well-hit strike from a corner that again whistled past the post.
Great Britain were getting more into the game and Jon Evans went close a minute later with a shot from the edge of the penalty area. The deadlock was broken in the 27th minute when the visitor’s Peter Wood scored with a shot from 25m.
Tim Murphy went close for City from a corner, but his header went just wide. Then Eddie Painter produced a good save from Rathey to leave Great Britain 1-0 up at halftime.
Britain’s Daniel Hogan started the second half with a bang, when his shot rebounded off the bar in the first minute, as the Brits pushed forward.
City got no joy from the tight British defense, although substitute Dan Calvert caused some problems, sending a shot just over the bar after 60 minutes.
Five minutes later Britain scored again, Evans finishing the counterattack in style.
There was a fright for the six-time Deaflympic champions after 75 minutes when a heavy challenge caused some consternation but they ended the game with a bang scoring their third three minutes from time.
The final score was hard on City but it was a good workout for Great Britain, looking to retain their title in the Deaflympics soccer tournament starting on Friday at Yingfeng in Taipei.
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