Red Lions vs. Taipower Betting Preview – Taiwan Premier League, May 3

This game could be one of the most one-sided games of the season so far in the Taiwan top flight. Taipower is top of the league and looking good on its aim to depose Tatung after three years of trying since the change in league format. Red Lions is dead last and not looking like moving up anytime soon.

The new Latin connection has not really worked for Red Lions yet, so Chilean manager Francisco Arce will be hoping that this is the week that changes.

Find out more in my Red Lions vs. Taipower betting preview.

With there being a huge gulf in class from the top of the Taiwan Premier League to the bottom, it is no surprise that MyBookie has priced this game in the manner of David and Goliath. If anything, the odds for a Red Lions win are nowhere near big enough to warrant any interest, as this one has home win written all over it.

Red Lions only came up to the Taiwan top flight three seasons ago after a merger and a qualification round boosted the club’s status. That first year was unremarkable but steady for the new team, but the following two seasons have been a disaster. Just one win in each campaign has kept Red Lions rooted to the bottom of the division, and that could be the case again in 2020.

But that’s why it was a huge shock when Chen Lu-Yen opened the scoring against Taiwan Steel last week. The home side came back into the game predictably but was pegged back again later on in the second half. Only a late goal from Marc Fenelus spared Taiwan Steel’s blushes and may have given this Red Lions squad some belief.

They will need it against Taipower, but maybe this game could be closer than the odds suggest after all? Taipower showed its intentions on the opening day when it defeated reigning champions Tatung away from home and then went on to beat fellow challengers Taiwan Steel the week after.

The 2-0 win over Ming Chuan University was probably a bit of a comedown after those first two results, so this fixture would seem like the perfect opportunity to boost the goals tally once again.

There is not much that would make me back Red Lions to beat Taipower on Sunday. But that close game last week with Taiwan Steel does show that there is some fight in the team at least. I can’t imagine that the club from Taipei can actually go one better and take away anything positive from this one, but it would really open up the league if that was the case.

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