I'm half way through the podcast. Are there any teams from Macau, Hong Kong or Taiwan playing in the Chinese League?
There are no teams from outside of the mainland in the Chinese pyramid. Some of that is politics but most of it comes down to money.
https://macaudailytimes.com.mo/football-afc-undermanned-benfica-to-play-group-favorite.html FOOTBALL | AFC: UNDERMANNED BENFICA TO PLAY GROUP FAVORITE Following a great start to its first ever participation in the group stage of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup, Benfica de Macau will be forced to play with many sidelined players in its coming match against the widely regarded toughest team of the group. Today, Benfica will face North Korean Champion “April 25 Sports Club,” considered the strongest team of the group and standing on an equal footing as Benfica with six points so far accrued. However, the Macau delegation will be smaller than usual, with the team saying it will be able to send only 14 players to the North Korean capital. Interviewed by the Times, the president of Benfica de Macau, Duarte Alves, noted that “unfortunately” the team does not have the status of the national team, meaning it is not guaranteed certain staff exemption documents from the government. Consequently, he said, “we will only be able to take 14 players to the next game in North Korea.” The team’s media relations director, João Varela, explained that “Benfica de Macau had asked for a waiver letter from the Sports Bureau (ID) so that players could represent the club on overseas trips to the AFC Cup, as they do when they play in official AFC and FIFA matches.” The ID was unable to issue this kind of exemption and instead drafted a letter requesting that employees consider providing annual leave to their staff members who have been asked to play in the upcoming Benfica match. Alves noted that this ID document that cannot be used to justify a player’s absence from work. The ID confirmed the above information, stating, “regarding the football club Macau Casa Benfica’s participation in ‘AFC CUP 2018,’ the club had applied for declaration letters of participation for its players earlier through the Macau Football Association. We have already issued the declaration letters of participation according to the request and characteristics of the competition.” According to what the Times could ascertain, there is no legal provision that allows athletes to take a leave of absence while representing sports associations. In the cases of athletes representing Macau as a national team, the ID provides a letter to the athletes to deliver to their employers seeking their cooperation, but it has “no binding power.” As for athletes working as civil servants, the only way to compete is to take “days off” from the annual leave, a former athlete told the Times, noting, “all depends on the chiefs and leaders, some are more sympathetic to this [leave request] than others.” During the first game played by Benfica last month in Pyongyang, some players went to North Korea using their annual leave. Benfica’s upcoming match is certain to be challenging, with many key players sidelined for the Yanggakdo Stadium game in the North Korean capital. It is truly a herculean task which, in the opinion of the organizing team, could be eased with a little good will from the people in Macau. Benfica will face a powerful squad of the April 25 Club, composed of several North Korea national team players and led by the former head coach of the North Korea national football team, Kim Jong-hun.
Benfica Macau only bringing 14 players to Pyongyang, that means every player will likely play some part. I really cannot see how 4.25 Sports Club not winning this match...
It would have been sensational news if true because he is the coach rumored to have been sent to a "re-education camp" (also according to unconfirmed rumours now working on a construction site) after North Korea lost to Portugal 0-7 in 2010 World Cup in a match historically televised live in NK. Decision to broadcast was made after encouraging 1-2 against Brazil. After this there haven't been live matches on TV in NK. However Macau Daily Times has it wrong. Kim Jong-hun is not any part of this April 25 Club.
There is news that Sporting Club Lisbon will visit China at the end of May and they will play a friendly against Macau national team on 23 May at Macau Stadium.
Reports from multiple outlets are suggesting that national team manager Chan Hiu Ming will leave at the conclusion of the his contract next month. These same reports state that he will become the next head coach of Lee Man.
For that reason I think Macau FA should not play its national team against Sporting Lisbon while they look for a replacement coach. Maybe they should just let Benfica Macau take them on.
Dear Friends and Fans! The tickets for the Benfica Macau vs 4.25 SC @AFC Cup 2018 this Wednesday the 25th of April at the Macau Stadium will be available for collection at the venue before kick off. Please remember that being this an official AFC CUP match, entry will only be allowed to those carrying a ticket. Tickets are free! Make sure to collect yours!
https://macaudailytimes.com.mo/benf...od-impression-of-team-and-local-football.html BENFICA WANTS TO ‘LEAVE A GOOD IMPRESSION’ OF TEAM AND LOCAL FOOTBALL RENATO MARQUES Bernardo Tavares (second from right) shakes hands with the N. Korean coach After an unusually disappointing result obtained by Benfica Macau in Pyongyang on April 11, losing 0-8 against North Korean champion 4.25 Sports Club, the local team is looking to “change that image” in today’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup’s group stage match. Benfica wants to “show that the team and its players have enough skills to do much better,” the head coach, Bernardo Tavares said yesterday at the pre-match press conference at the Macau Olympic Stadium in Taipa. “What we have been trying to do is to play each match by giving our best and to collect as many points as possible,” Tavares said. The coach stated that the team’s current challenge is to play among the best in Asian football, “one match at one time” and “with no expectations beyond tomorrow’s [today’s] match.” The head coach also explained that it is because of this philosophy that they received such a heavy result in North Korea. “Maybe another team losing 2-0 at break time would just try to manage the result and not get more goals, but we didn’t, we fought as much as we could and tried to score and maybe that’s why we got to that result (8-0),” said the head coach. For today’s fixture, Tavares said that the main aim is, “to give dignity not only to Benfica Macau but also to the football we play here [in Macau]. It’s a ‘nice picture’ that we want to leave and not the one left by the last game in North Korea.” “We want to give a good image of our team, match after match. Of our players, but also of Macau football,” Benfica’s coach remarked. Commenting on the difficulties expected for the game, Tavares has no doubt that playing against teams like 4.25 Sports Club, which have more skills, more experience and more resources than Benfica Macau, is what makes the local team and players grow. “It’s by playing against these teams that we can grow and develop,” he said, noting, “this will eventually be very good for us […]. I know that all players that saw that happening, they learned a lot and we want to be in together with the best.” For the match against the North Korean team, coach Tavares also noted that the team continued to have several problems with injured players that will influence the choice for the 11 players who will take to the pitch tonight. “We have several doubts as there are a couple of players we know can’t play; that’s Filipe [Duarte] and Vitor [Almeida] and also there is another group that we will only know after the match warm-up and those are Cuco, Edgar [Teixeira] and [Lei] Chi Kin.” Nonetheless, Tavares noted that “I can guarantee that those that will rise to the pitch will put in 100 percent… Everybody wants to play this game.” Tavares also called for the people of Macau to attend the match. He said it is an unique opportunity to watch football of this caliber in Macau. 4.25 SC HEAD COACH AIMS FOR THE AFC CUP TITLE AS COMFORTABLE winners in the first match played in home soil, head coach, Hwang Yong-Song of the April 25 Sports Club (4.25 SC) told the press yesterday that the team is confident for today’s match. Hwang Yong-Song said in a press conference yesterday, “We are ready for the match. It is our first time coming to Macau to play and we expect difficulties but we have had enough preparation for this match.” Questioned on whether a win in today’s match against Benfica Macau would grant the North Korean club a spot in the next stage, Hwang acknowledged, “If we win this match, we will [move] most probably into the next stage and our next goal will be to win the matches also in the next stage.” Questioned by the Times about how far the team could go in this competition, the head coach of 4.25 SC said, “it will be difficult to win the [overall] competition and to be champions, but we want that and we are aiming for that this year.”
https://macaudailytimes.com.mo/football-benfica-de-macau-hoping-to-surprise-in-taiwan.html FOOTBALL | BENFICA DE MACAU HOPING TO SURPRISE IN TAIWAN LOCAL football club Benfica de Macau is hoping to make a “surprise” in its visit to Taiwan tomorrow for game five of six of the group stage of the Asia Football Confederation (AFC) Cup, where it will face Taiwanese team Hang Yuen FC. About the upcoming match, head coach Bernardo Tavares said, “we are going to try to do the best we can.” “If we can keep this attitude [during the match against 4.25 SC last week] when we are not in the possession of the ball, I think we can surprise there,” Tavares said. Tavares is still without some important players for the upcoming game, who are unavailable due to injuries. The exception is Gilchrist Nguema, who is not injured but suspended after he received his second yellow card against the North Korean side and will now be prevented from playing in Taiwan. Tavares refuted the idea of Benfica being the favorite to win tomorrow’s match noting that “the other team is very aggressive and will do everything to win at home.” To recall the first encounter between the two teams in the first of Benfica’s games, the Macau team won at the Macau Olympic Stadium in Taipa 3-2 in a nerve-racking match that saw the Macau team fall behind 0-2 by half-time. At the moment, Benfica de Macau is playing only for pride and honor to participate in such an international competition, as the North Korean team 4.25 SC leads the group and has already secured the qualification for the inter-zone play-off semi-finals after gathering 12 points from four wins in four matches. Benfica is second with six points, tied with the other North Korean team (Hwaebul Sports Club), but with advantage due to the away victory achieved by the Macau team in its second game. Benfica will face the weakest team of the group tomorrow, which has not yet accrued any points in the competition. For the inter-zone play-off semi-finals, it was arranged from the start of the competition that the winners of groups D, E, and I would compose a group to be joined by the winner of the ASEAN Zone Final.
Hang Yuen 1:4 Benfica Macau Niki Torres scored twice and set up one goal for Edgar Texeira. Benfica will finish second if they beat Hwaebul at home on 16 May. Sadly only one club proceeds to the next round from this group. I wonder what next year's edition will be like when Hong Kong clubs re-join the AFC Cup?
I hope Benfica qualify, even if it's at the expense of a second Hong Kong team. I'd prefer to have four different nations represented in the group and for there to be affordable away day opportunities for Kitchee and Benfica fans.
It looks like next season 6 countries: Macau, North Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mongolia and Guam will fight for 1 group stage place next year. (The other 3 group stage places are occupied by North Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan.) Honestly I think East Asia should have two groups instead of 1. I hate these preliminaries that eliminate the small countries. AFC Cup is already the second tier tournament and they still refuse to let the small countries play. It is downright discriminative.
I really like to see 2019 AFC Cup to have two groups for East Asia. The two group winners can then play off in a Zonal final and the winner proceed to the next round.
Looking at the schedule, it appears that they will have to figure out how to schedule in three rounds of qualifiers in four match days. There is also a possibility that one or more nations will not send a club to the competition (more on that below) and thus, the standby team from Hong Kong will take their place. We could see three Hong Kong clubs qualifying for Asia, although a maximum of two can play the group stage. May be an issue of money and number of eligible clubs. The AFC provides $20,000 US in travel subsidies to clubs for each away match. In a four team group, this means that the AFC will be paying $240,000 in subsidies for a group full of amateur/semi-pro clubs - at least when Hong Kong isn't involved. If you have two groups of four, lets assume that Hong Kong and North Korea get two slots each. You then give one slot each to Macau, Taiwan, Guam and Mongolia. Here's where the problems lie - all four of these nations have had problems filling their quota. Guam has never even sent a club to an AFC competition as far I can find and it's not hard to figure out why. A one way trip from Guam to Taipei (closest possible opponent) costs $566. If you assume 21 members (players, coaches, and other staff) of the team travel, that's already $11,886 without factoring hospitality, food and the return flight. With all due respect to the people of Guam - how on earth is an amateur team from Guam supposed to come up with the money to cover the losses?
They could just have one group of 4 and one group of 3 in the group stage if Guam is unable to join for financial reason. They already did a group of 3 for East Asia last year so it is nothing new. Alternatively just give HK, Taiwan or Macau another slot in Guam's absence. Benfica Macau did well this season and CPK has similar ambitions so it is not impossible for Macau to field two clubs.
I think the AFC really wants to avoid having a group of three again. Besides that, they need to change the rules so that if a nation is ranked #5 or below in East/West Asia, they will have direct slots to both the ACL qualifers and the AFC Cup group stage. It does not help Hong Kong/Vietnam/Malaysia when only their direct entry to the ACL qualifies, but their entry to the ACL qualifers cannot drop down to the AFC Cup if that club fails to qualify. One of the benefits would be that it avoids three team groups as it encourages as many clubs as possible to obtain AFC licenses, even if they're doing so to compete in the ACL qualifiers.
Macau Elite League CPK 2:2 Benfica Macau Benfica held to a draw for the first time this season. But they still enjoy a 7 point lead. They will play Hwaebul in the AFC Cup this Wednesday.
Benfica Macau vs Hwaepul (North Korea) tonight. Benfica wins and they will secure second place in the group. I really hope we get two East Asia groups next year. I want to see Benfica Macau and maybe even CPK play a Hong Kong club in a competitive match.
FT: Benfica Macau 3:0 Hwaepul FC Carlos Leonel scored a hat-trick and Benfica Macau finished second in Group I. Very good achievement for an amateur club.
https://macaudailytimes.com.mo/benfica-macau-defeats-hwaepul-3-0-in-final-game.html BENFICA MACAU DEFEATS HWAEPUL 3-0 IN FINAL GAME THURSDAY, MAY 17, 2018 In their final game of the group stage of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup, Benfica de Macau defeated Pyongyang-based football club Hwaepul SC 3-0. The game at the Macau University of Science and Technology Sports Fields in Taipa began at a slow pace with few chances. However, as the first half drew to a close, Benfica, de Macau began to apply the pressure. All three goals were netted by Portuguese striker Carlos Leonel, with the earliest coming in the form of a header in the closing minutes of the first half. The lead was extended in the 63rd minute with yet another header, and again in the 82nd when Leonel scored from the penalty spot. The latest win for the local club, which performed in the tournament well above expectations, places it in second in the four- group stage. However, this will not be enough to carry it through to the next round, and instead North Korean team 4.25 SC will advance. Benfica ends the tournament second on its group with 12 points, six behind 4.25 SC, while Hwaepul came third with six points and Taipei’s Hang Yuen FC finished bottom with zero points.
21 May: Macau national football team vs Sporting Lisbon (8 pm at Macau Stadium) The two side will play to commemorate 40th anniversary of Lisbon's first visit to Macau in 1978. Tickets are free and can be collected from the Macau Stadium tomorrow 18 May (4pm to 8pm), 19 May (4pm to 8pm) and 20 May (10am to 2pm). Tickets can also be collected on the day of the match itself.
http://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/ar...yed-10000-miles-home-under-lights-cotai-strip I missed this report from SCMP on the Benfica vs Sporting league match.