Woufou Taipho took three points from their opening home fixture, beating Rangers 3:2 in the Premier League's Regular Season round 3 on Saturday. The hosts led twice before the visitors snatched a late winner, and the result left both sides level on points after the first matchday.
Wallisson Bahia opened the scoring at the 13th minute and then doubled the lead in the 89th, while Nathan Lourenco had put Taipho ahead with a goal at 44 minutes. Rangers pulled one back through A. Zarei in stoppage time, but it was too little, too late — or so it seemed.
And here's the thing about the 20th minute: a Rangers goal was disallowed by VAR. The replay showed an infringement, and the decision stood. By then Taipho were already ahead on the board, and the cancelled strike changed the complexion of the second half.
Coaches made seven substitutions between the 60th and 88th minutes, bringing on Nando Welter, Lau Chi-Lok, Nathan Lourenco, C. J. Ho, Fernando, W. F. Leung and W. H. Li. Paulinho also picked up a yellow card at 83 minutes before his side's late response.
Taipho registered 110 attacks with five corners and 16 free kicks. Rangers had 122 attacks, five corners and 12 free kicks. Possession sat at 45 per cent for the hosts and 55 for the visitors, though shots tell a different story — four on target for Taipho against three for Rangers.
Both teams start the campaign with zero points from zero games, and this result means they remain level at the top after one match. Taipho had beaten Rangers 2:0 in May, but Saturday's encounter proved more open and more decisive.