(Reuters) – Paraguay defeated Taiwan 4-2 on penalties in the final qualifying playoffs for the Women’s World Cup on Sunday after the game finished 2-2 following extra time at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.
Taiwan went 2-0 ahead with goals by Lai Li-Chin and Su Sin-Yun before Dulce Quintana and Lice Chamorro struck late for Paraguay, forcing extra time in the thrilling encounter.
With the score still level at 2-2, the match went to a penalty shootout in which Taiwan’s Zhuo Li-ping hit the post and Pao Hsin-hsuan had her spot kick saved by goalkeeper Alicia Bobadilla, while all four of Paraguay’s penalty takers scored.
For their maiden berth at the World Cup, Paraguay will face on Thursday the winners of Sunday evening’s clash between Papua New Guinea and Panama at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland.
Cameroon will face Portugal and Haiti will take on Chile in the other two playoffs on Wednesday for the July 20 to Aug. 20 World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, which will be the first edition to feature 32 teams.
Earlier, Taiwan went ahead in the 21st minute after captain Lai volleyed home a brilliant cross from the right from Chen Yen-ping.
The Asian side made it 2-0 in the 75th minute when Su slotted home the ball, which ricocheted off the crossbar following a freekick by Lai.
Paraguay made it 2-1 in the 80th as Quintana finished off a team move with a thumping strike before Chamorro turned the match on its head with an equaliser a minute later.
Paraguay substitute Fatima Acosta had a goal ruled out for offside in the 100th minute, while Taiwan’s Pao skied her penalty kick in the final moments of extra time.
Paraguay wrapped up a sensational victory when Chamorro scored the winning penalty in the shootout after Quintana, Fany Gauto and Maria Vecca all found the net for the South Americans.
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Bradley Perrett)
