Paraguay came from two goals down and survived a last-minute penalty in extra time to prevail 4-2 on penalties over Taiwan in a thrilling FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying play-off at Waikato Stadium on February 19, as the countries fought out an enthralling 2-2 draw on the road to the Finals later this year. The action was rampant from the very first whistle, with Jessica Martinez lashing a twenty-yarder past the post inside the first sixty seconds, play having been allowed to continue by Rwandan referee Salima Mukansanga despite a foul on Rebeca Fernandez in the build-up. Taiwan retorted just four minutes later, Hsin-Hsuan Pao weaving her wizardry on the left before whipping in a cross which prompted Paraguayan goalkeeper Alicia Bobadilla to dash out of goal and save at the feet of Li-Chen Lai, Taiwan's captain. After Bobadilla had dived to her right to keep out a thirty-five yard free-kick from Ying-Hui Chen, Martinez and Fernandez combined on the left before bringing Dulce Quintana into play. She set up Rosa Mino for a chipped attempt which was expertly tipped over the crossbar by Ming-Jung Tsai on the quarter-hour. Two minutes later, Taiwan were on the attack again, Yen-Ping Chen and Sin-Yun Su leading the charge. The latter's cross found Pao flying in to execute a full-length diving header which she was unable to direct on target. Buoyed by that close call, the Asian contenders attacked again almost immediately, Ying-Hui Chen picking out the run of Lai through the inside right channel. Shrugging off a challenge, she chipped the approaching figure of Bobadilla, off whose shoulder the ball ricocheted into the near post side-netting - the 'keeper knew very little about it. Taiwan's pressure would soon turn into something tangible - they opened the scoring in the 21st minute. Shin-Yu Pan combined with Pao on the left, the winger bringing Yi-Yun Hsu into play. She switched the ball to the opposite flank, where Yen-Ping Chen was arriving on cue to deliver a cross for Lai to smash home an unstoppable volley from six yards - a terrifically worked opener! This setback prompted Paraguay to up their game, but Taiwan were quite comfortable in soaking up the pressure their South American rivals generated throughout the remainder of the half, although there were a couple of raids which had alarm bells ringing in the closing stages. Not before Taiwan had gone close to doubling their advantage, however. Eleven minutes before half-time, Pao stormed down the left past two opponents before slipping a pass inside, but behind Lai. It was also too short for Yen-Ping Chen to capitalise upon - a real let-off for Paraguay, as it was a three-on-three situation which could very easily have been converted. The South Americans responded via Fabiola Sandoval, who laid the ball inside to Mino before racing towards goal. Mino, meanwhile, sent Fernandez flying down the right, from where she looked to pick out Sandoval with a cross. Tsai read the danger well, however, and plucked the ball off the head of her opponent. In the dying minutes of the half, Tsai comfortably saved a long-range effort from Martinez, then looked on as Paraguay's pivotal player sent a thirty-yarder sailing over the bar to bring the first half to a close. The South Americans came out all guns blazing at the start of the second spell, half-time substitute Lice Chamorro signalling their intentions with a barnstorming run down the right before sending a cross flashing across the face of goal just two minutes after the resumption of play. Taiwan weren't going to take this lying down, and within three minutes had gone close to doubling their lead. Lai delivered a corner to the near post which was flicked on by Pao. Paraguay couldn't clear their lines, and nearly paid the price - Su sent a screamer sizzling past the post from fifteen yards. Four minutes later, it was Paraguay's turn to force a corner, Limpia Fretes' delivery to the near post was dummied by Martinez, knowing full well that Fernandez was behind her. The striker turned the ball back towards Martinez, whose shot on the turn was blocked by resolute Taiwanese defenders, who had their work cut out for them throughout the half. Paraguay continued to threaten, Chamorro particularly prominent in their attacking forays. Fernandez drilled a shot straight at Tsai after Quintana and the half-time substitute had combined on the right, while in the 68th minute, Chamorro teamed up with Fernandez on the left to engineer an opening for Fatima Acosta to deliver a cross. Quintana's subsequent eighteen-yard volley was deflected through to Tsai. Three minutes later, Taiwan mounted what by now was a rare attack. Pao - their stand-out player - slipped a pass into the stride of Hsiu-Chin Lee, who stumbled in the area. Referee Mukansanga waved play on, prompting Su to let rip a drive which was deflected for a corner. Pao's delivery was punched out by Bobadilla to Lai, who lashed a volley over the bar. Fifteen minutes from time, and a tad against the run of play, it must be said, Taiwan doubled their lead. Lai's free-kick from the right curled in and hit the crossbar, with Su the first to react, prodding it home from close-range to leave Paraguay in a pile of trouble. Their response was nothing short of epic - two goals in ninety breathtaking seconds which turned this tie on its head! Chamorro and Fany Gauto combined on the right ten minutes from time, with the former darting inside for a return pass. Her lay-off to Quintana prompted the midfielder to let rip from fifteen yards, the ball tearing past Tsai into the net behind her.

2-1 very quickly became 2-2, courtesy Chamorra. She caught Shin-Yu Pan in possession twenty-five yards from goal, then strode on before slipping the ball beyond Tsai into the far corner of the net. What a transformation! Paraguay now fancied their chances of grabbing a winner in the time remaining, and but for a vital block by Chi-Lan Chang in the 84th minute, Acosta would have nabbed it. Taiwan were far from out of it, however, and with three minutes remaining, Su evaded three challenges in the area, only to undo all her good work with a cross straight into the hands of Bobadilla, who had been on spectator duties for a fair chunk of the second spell. A staggering ten minutes of stoppage time were played, during which Paraguay were dominant, but with Tsai in confident form, and Ya-Han Lin winning everything in the air, this match was destined for extra time, despite Quintana's last-gasp volley over the bar in the final seconds. The first half of extra time reflected the attritional nature of the contest, with both teams struggling to get going again having given their all throughout the ninety minutes. It was the Paraguayans who threatened to break the deadlock during the first fifteen minutes, however, Martinez unleashing a thirty yard piledriver past both Tsai and her left-hand post in the 99th minute. Sixty seconds later, they had the ball in the net, but Acosta, not for the first time, was called offside. Tsai then dealt with a shot from Martinez, prior to Chamorro sending a volley flying past the post as the first half of extra time drew to a close. The second spell was more lively, and lengthy - another ten minutes of additional time was added to the match, meaning that by its conclusion, there had been nigh on 150 minutes of on-field action, at the end of which both teams had to drag themselves through the emotional challenges of a penalty shootout. Before then, however … drama aplenty. Taiwan squandered a glorious chance to go ahead in the 111th minute. Chang picked out Yen-Ping Chen with a pass, and she worked a one-two with Lai before the captain took charge of proceedings and played in Yi-Wen Li, who had time to pick her spot, but instead shot straight at Bobadilla, who picked up a hand injury at the start of the second half of extra time which added further drama to the mix. That she was clearly troubled by it was evident in the 116th minute when she spilled a thirty-yarder from Pao. Bobadilla recovered to gather the loose ball before Li could pounce and turn it home. Two minutes later, Pao and Yu-Hsuan Su teamed up with Lee to present Yen-Ping Chen with the ball in yards of space in the Paraguayan penalty area. She sent the sphere sailing over the bar, but in the build-up, Su had been taken out by Quintana after laying the ball off. Cue a check by the Video Assistant Referee … penalty! In the last scheduled minute of stoppage time, no less. The task of clinching victory for Taiwan was entrusted to Pao, but the combination of challenge and pressure proved too great for her, as evidenced by her shot, which sailed over the bar from twelve yards. Taiwan came again, Yi-Hsuan Su leading the charge and rounding Bobadilla, who forced her well wide of goal. Su pulled the ball back for Yen-Ping Chen to capitalise, but Maria Martinez's lunging clearance kept Paraguay in it on this occasion. After Gauto had shot at Tsai, stoppage time substitute Su-Hsin Chang lobbed an effort onto the roof of Paraguay's net in the seventh minute of additional time. The same player then drew a save from Bobadilla seconds later after running through onto a Pao header, while in the final minute, Tsai was right behind a twenty-five yarder from Jessica Martinez, the last act of an epic tussle which still had one final dramatic chapter to unfold, after concluding at 2-2. The FIFA Women's World Cup Finals hopes of both Taiwan and Paraguay now hinged on the dreaded penalty shootout, and with their second kick, Li-Ping Zhuo hit Paraguay's post - advantage the South Americans. They retained their edge with their third kick, albeit only just, with Tsai getting a hand to Maria Martinez's spot-kick. All eyes turned to Pao - could she redeem herself after missing the potential match-winner from twelve yards in the 120th minute? No! Bobadilla dived to her right to save … but did she move before the kick was taken? VAR had a look - take it again, please! Poor Pao. Already mentally battered and bruised by missing two penalties, she now had to try again from the spot. She put this one to Bobadilla's left, but the 'keeper anticipated the change of direction, and duly saved again - and this time it counted! The spotlight fell upon Chamorro once more - if she scored, Paraguay would be ninety minutes from a return to this area of the world in July courtesy a 4-2 victory on penalties. She duly obliged, to the delight of her country-women … And the despair of Taiwan, who contributed so much to this marvellous encounter, and will feel this defeat even more than usual, given they were two goals up, then had the chance to win it from the penalty spot at the scheduled end of stoppage time. Taiwan:     Tsai; Ying-Hui Chen (C. Chang, 64 (S. Chang, 120)), Lin, Zhuo, Pan; Yen-Ping Chen, Wu (Lee, 64), Hsu (Y. Su, 46), Pao; S. Su (Li, 81), Lai Paraguay:     Bobadilla; Fretes (booked, 29), M. Martinez, Riveros, Arrieta (Bareiro, 64); R. Martinez (Chamorro, 46), Quintana, Mino (Godoy, 64), Sandoval (Acosta, 46); J. Martinez, Fernandez (Gauto, 73) Referee:     Salima Mukansanga (Rwanda)