Chinese Taipei U23 suffered a disappointing 1-3 defeat at home to Bhutan U23 in an AFC U23 Asian Cup qualification match on September 9, 2025. The result is a significant surprise and a major blow to Chinese Taipei's hopes of progressing to the main tournament. Bhutan, traditionally not a powerhouse in Asian youth football, took control of the game with two first-half goals from counter-attacks. Chinese Taipei improved after the break and pulled a goal back to set up a tense finale. However, any hope of a comeback was extinguished when Bhutan scored a crucial third goal against the run of play in the final ten minutes. This victory is a monumental achievement for Bhutan's youth development program, while Chinese Taipei is left to rue a lackluster start. The Bhutanese coach praised his team's tactical discipline, and the Chinese Taipei manager acknowledged his side's poor first-half performance. The match was played at a high intensity, with Bhutan proving more efficient in front of goal.