Roared on by the home support, China PR put their opponents under immense pressure right from the start and Zhan Huimin warmed the gloves of Chu Fang-Yi, who then had to rush out to make a good sliding tackle.

It did not take long for the hosts to get their reward. Receiving Tang Yalan’s precise pass on the right, Zhang Rui took a touch before beating Chu with a blistering effort into the bottom left corner in the fifth minute.

China PR’s superb high press meant that Chinese Taipei hardly had a sniff, and they also found it hard to cope with the slick movement of the red shirts.

Zhang was proving to be a real menace and the 24-year-old turned Zhan Zewen’s square pass just wide, before Chu made a wonderful reflex stop to deny Su Jiahong.

But there was no stopping China PR and Cao Jiayi doubled the advantage on 13 minutes, as she adroitly converted the rebound after Chu parried Su’s shot into her path.

The spectators were on their feet on the stroke of half-time when China PR goalkeeper Liu Danping unleashed a long-range effort, which clipped the bar and went over.

Largely untroubled before the break, Liu found herself with plenty of work to do after the restart as Chen Min-Huang flashed a strike just past the right post and then came closer with another piledriver that had to be pushed away.

Chinese Taipei’s impressive response paid off in the 25th minute as they halved the deficit through Jheng Ya-Zih, who met goalkeeper Chu’s speculative effort with a smart flick to divert the ball into the bottom right.

The home side then managed to get a grip on proceedings and held their opponents at bay, before striking a third blow in the 32nd minute. Zou Yinglan’s fierce low cross from the right was turned into her own goal by Chen Ya-Chun, who could not sort her feet out in time.

China PR soon made it 4-1 as Chinese Taipei were caught out at a power play in the 35th minute, with Liu producing a terrific drop-kick into an empty net.

A fifth goal came courtesy of a predatory finish by Zou and despite a nervy ending with that strike being sandwiched by a brace from Liu Wen Ling, China PR held out for the win and need just one more point against Uzbekistan next to finish top of the group.