Chinese Taipei ace Chen Po-liang still dreaming of Asian Cup finals spot

With the finals expanded to 24 teams, Chinese Taipei will be one of a handful of representative teams eyeing their first appearance at the competition in modern times, and China-based Chen remains upbeat.

"We will still try to aim for progression into the Asian Cup finals, even though we have to realistically admit we are not certain at this moment,” the 28-year-old Hangzhou Greentown star said ahead of Saturday’s clash with Singapore.

“Many key players (who did not feature against Turkmenistan) have returned for the Singapore game, an indication on how important our FA views this crucial fixture."

The island’s last appearance at the Asian Cup finals came in 1968 under the banner of the Republic of China, when they notched up a fourth place finish eight years after coming third in the second-ever championship.

A withdrawal in 1972 and expulsion from the competition four years later started a run of absences from the Asian Cup finals for a Chinese Taipei side which since failing to enter the competition from 1980 until 1988, has not come close to qualifying.

Chinese Taipei’s intermittent appearances on the international stage have led to a lack of development of the representative side, but with increased exposure and a growing number of professional players within the squad, Chen believes improvements can be made.

"The international level game is at a different level from the domestic game back in Taiwan,” says Chen.

“The tempo of play in international football is much faster, while the physical and tactical standards are stronger. There is plenty to gain from playing against stronger opponents, and our growth could be accelerated further if we have been able to get consistent exposure by playing tough games on a more regular basis.

“With these games, we can improve much more."