AFC Champions League》Taiwan team's important injured soldiers become a variable in the fight against South Korea. Chen Keyi: When I saw my foot, I immediately turned it over...

Song Jiaxiang (right) retired due to injury. (AP)

[Special Correspondent Gong Nai','$': 'Li/Reporting from Tokyo, Japan] In the 2026 AFC Champions League, Taiwanese starting pitcher Chen Keyi went wild with the ball in the first inning. He hit four bad balls in a single inning and was stormed by the Australian team.

Chen Keyi went wild with the ball in the first inning, throwing four bad balls in a single inning. In addition, Lin Jiawei made two passing errors in a single inning, and a wild throw at third base caused Golden Glove catcher Song Jiaxiang, who was blocking the ball, to sprain his ankle and retire. In the end, Max Durrington hit a two-run RBI, and he lost four points in a single inning.

Chen Keyi said frankly that after seeing Australia's high slugging rate against South Korea, he didn't want to throw the ball at a high angle. "I originally wanted to grab the ball first at the start of the game, but the first two bats were hit, and I started to try to lower the ball, which resulted in the pitch not being able to hit the strike zone. The more I pitched, the more chaotic it became."

At the end of the first inning, Taiwan team coach Gao Zhigang revealed that he originally asked Chen Keyi if he would take a rest. "He insisted on staying on the court and felt that he wanted to get it back. I am very sure that he made adjustments in the later stages of pitching and completed nearly 5 innings."

After Chen Keyi finished pitching in the first inning, his teammates encouraged him to start over and pitch according to the original goal. "After the second inning, I felt that I had to change my mentality to throw. I threw with full strength and I felt better and better."

The iron catcher Song Jiaxiang who was paired with him sprained his ankle in the first game while trying to block Chen Keyi's violent throw. Chen Keyi said that when he saw Song Jiaxiang's foot turned over, he was going to help him pick up the ball, but he didn't expect that he could hold on and pick up the ball. "I asked him later if he was okay, and he told me, 'It's okay. You can squat later.'"

However, Song Jiaxiang left the game in a wheelchair after the game. Head coach Gao Zhigang revealed after the game that whether he can play against South Korea tomorrow will not be confirmed until the official report is released. However, he said frankly, "It seems a bit difficult. I still hope that the players can play healthy and don't force him."

Chen Keyi has pitched in the AFC Champions League in 2023. At that time, he pitched 7 scoreless innings against the Australian team. Being selected as a wild card this year has extra pressure. "The coach selected me as a wild card and hoped that I would be the starter. I put a lot of pressure on myself, which made me a little unable to let go in the first game."

Chen Keyi. (AP)