White was pleased to see his players focused on their target of keeping a clean sheet.

“In the first leg, our primary goal was to secure victory, whereas in the second leg, the focus shifted to preventing any goals against us,” said White. “Despite entering the second leg with a comfortable 4-0 lead, maintaining a clean sheet presented its challenges. Nevertheless, the players performed exceptionally, giving their all. 

“Facing Timor-Leste was no easy feat. This new group of players has shown remarkable focus, drive, and unity. Both the players and staff have made me immensely proud.”

“As we plan for the next stage, the players are committed to giving their best. We'll be fielding the top-performing players, each of whom has proven themselves. Our current form has been outstanding, with only one defeat in five games.

 

“We aim to create an electrifying atmosphere in the stadium. Optimistically, we anticipate a larger turnout of fans for these crucial games and sincerely hope that the fans will continue to support the team in the upcoming stages. It's crucial for us to feel the full weight of the fans' support as we progress. We urge the fans to rally behind us.”

Despite bowing out, Timor-Leste head coach Park Sun-tae took positives and is hoping to see his players improve even further.

“We would like to extend our congratulations to Chinese Taipei for qualifying into the second round. While we didn't put in much preparation for the first round, our performance improved today,” said Park.

“I want to commend our players for their efforts. As the head coach, it was disappointing to see the other team score one goal, and our overall performance decreased. Despite the low morale after conceding the first goal, the team fought hard until the end.

“Moving forward, we aim to enhance this aspect of our game and ensure better preparation for upcoming challenges.”