AFC Champions League 2: underdogs Tai Po bare their teeth in victory over Macarthur
Gabirel Cividini and Michel Renner on target for hosts, as midfielder Philip Chan warns rivals no one can ‘walk on our faces’
Philip Chan Siu-kwan said Tai Po showed no team could “come and walk on our faces” after they launched their AFC Champions League 2 campaign on Thursday with a 2-1 victory over 10-man Macarthur.
The Australians never got to grips with underdogs Tai Po, who served up an energetic, intense and aggressive performance at Mong Kok Stadium.
Gabriel Cividini’s thumping header gave the hosts a third-minute lead, and Macarthur’s task grew tougher when defender Callum Talbot was sent off for a professional foul in first-half stoppage time.
Michel Renner capped a fabulous team move to double Tai Po’s advantage after 66 minutes. James Temelkovski’s freak own goal four minutes later gave Macarthur hope, but had the away team found an equaliser, it would have been an injustice.
Chan was in the last Tai Po side that won a continental fixture back in April 2019.
“We’re a stronger team now, and we showed it tonight,” he said. “[Macarthur] are an A-League team and higher ranked than us, but they can’t come here and walk on our faces.