He actually resigned on his own accord, I guess you could put that down to a number of reasons. Firstly, he was fed up with FAM's laxness in dealing with the important matters like training camps, arranging friendlies, player discipline etc. He also fell out with a number of players after a revealing public interview on the media where he accused them of taking the national team for granted. To be fair to him, our footballing setup is a mess but maybe he tried to change too much too soon. Regarding Ricki Herbert, I think it's far too early to compare him with Popov, who spent two very successful years here as manager of New Radiant SC. I do like what I've seen of him so far, as he attends pretty much all of the domestic matches and does his own coaching instead of being over-reliant on his coaching staff as previous Head Coaches have been guilty of doing. As a result, he has given international debuts to several previously underrated players over the course of his first two matches, most of whom have surprised us with their performances. Herbert is very much his own man as he doesn't let the powers of FAM pick the squad, and you can see that the players appreciate his clear and concise nature. Like he said during his first press conference, he needs time, just like he did with New Zealand.
Yes. Might be a bit of a shock for the Hong Kong players to play in that heat and humidity. http://maldivesoccer.com/s/Time-changes-same-venue-5963
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_...1&sid=45539720&con_type=1&d_str=20151110&fc=2 The Standard Focus finally on game as players head to Maldives Tuesday, November 10, 2015 Hong Kong's football team flew out yesterday for their crucial football World Cup qualifier against the Maldives, with the match set to kick-off at 3.50pm 6.50pm HK time in the capital Male. With the Indian Ocean nation currently under a state of emergency, the match at the national stadium on Thursday has an extra edge to it. Goalkeeper Yapp Hung-fai is acting captain of the 23-man squad, replacing the injured Chan Wai-ho. Hong Kong, currently second in Asia Group C, will be desperate for a victory to keep them in the running to secure a spot for the next round. They face China and top-placed Qatar in their final two matches. Negotiations over the kick-off time went back and forth. The Hong Kong Football Association had wanted the match to be held in the SAR, after the Maldives declared a state of emergency last week following weeks of political turmoil. Hong Kong raised the amber outbound travel alert on November 4. When Fifa refused a switch, the HKFA pushed for a 6pm match time. It had rejected the original 9pm start because it would mean staying another night in the Maldives and the team are eager to return home to prepare for the qualifier against China on November 17, HKFA chairman Brian Leung Hung-tak said. In turn, the Maldives rejected the 6pm kick-off because of evening prayers in the Muslim island-state. Fifa set the time for 3.50pm, which the HKFA thought would mean it would be too hot and asked for 9pm again. Fifa rejected this. "They [Fifa officials] said you cannot change the time again," said Leung, adding an e-mail was sent to the HKFA yesterday. Leung said the Hong Kong players' physical strength will be the most crucial issue for coach Kim Pan Gon, as he worries about what the players will have left for the critical match versus third-placed China. Hong Kong is sending a strong squad "because we must win this match," Leung said. Hong Kong beat the Maldives 2-0 at Mong Kok Stadium in June. HKFA vice chairman Pui Kwan-kay said the Maldives' hot and humid conditions will be a challenge. Striker Chan Siu-ki said: "[I read] there were some bombs found, but you have no choice because you are representing Hong Kong. If we fail to attend the match, we will automatically lose." KENNETH LAU
Well, Hong Kong gets very hot and humid in the summer, too, so it won't be a shock. But it will certainly be a strain on the players' fitness levels, particularly as they will have to face China on 17 Nov. But the early kick off means the players can catch the night flight home, get back here earlier for rest and recuperation.
The "month long" State of Emergency was lifted in Maldives today, which meant it lasted for a mere 6 days. As I write this, tickets are getting sold like wildfire. The fans here have not seen too many home internationals since the AFC Challenge Cup, so I expect a sold out ground on Thursday. It would be great to watch the team playing under the sun as well. It's going to bring back memories of the 2002 and 2006 World Cup qualifying campaigns when we put out plucky sides who were just glad to be facing teams we would normally never play against. The 3:50 PM kickoff also means that the demographics of the supporters would also be rather different, with a younger, working class crowd that would generate a more vibrant atmosphere.
The Standard Alert booted out in match countdown Wednesday, November 11, 2015 The Maldives has lifted its state of emergency just in time for tomorrow's World Cup Qualifier between the football teams of Hong Kong and the Indian Ocean island-nation. The Hong Kong team had a relaxed schedule on their first full day in the Maldives, trying to acclimatize to the weather, which was 31 degrees Celsius. The government imposed the controversial 30-day emergency a week ago after what it called an assassination attempt on its president, Abdulla Yameen, but lifted it early. "The government of the Maldives today has lifted the state of emergency in the country with immediate effect," a foreign ministry statement yesterday. The government reached its decision after the security forces advised Yameen that "the overall security situation in the country has improved," the statement added. A spokesman for the Hong Kong Football Association said players had a light practice session with stretching exercises in the morning. After lunch, they took a rest before a second round of training. The match is set for 3.50pm tomorrow at a stadium in the capital, Male. Striker Chan Siu-ki said: "Marine police escorted us when we were on the boat. "We took a coach and there were also some police escorting us in the whole journey. "The situation is quite peaceful and I don't feel it is dangerous." Goalkeeper and acting captain Yapp Hung-fai said the island- nation was not as dangerous as rumored, and police follow the players when traveling. Midfielder Lam Ka-wai said: "The atmosphere is not as tense as I imagined, but there are lots of alleys around the hotel. We will not go out individually, and it is better staying in the hotel." It was hot but bearable. KENNETH LAU AND AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Hong Kong team will leave Maldives straight after the match. China will likely play a second string team against Bhutan today, so that the Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao players can rest after the ACL final first leg last Sat, before the crunch match in Hong Kong next Tuesday. (The Guangzhou players also have the ACL final second leg on 21 Nov to worry about.)
South China Morning Post World Cup qualifying: Hong Kong still on high alert as they prepare to face Maldives in Male State of emergency may have been lifted, but visitors are still wary of Indian Ocean hosts in tonight’s group C match Chan Kin-wa The Maldives might have lifted their 30-day state of emergency this week, but Hong Kong will stay on high alert tonight in Male as they prepare to prove they have the quality to progress into the next round of the World Cup qualifiers. The Indian Ocean nation has been rocked by political unrest recently, but the Hong Kong team remain calm and focused. They are buoyed by their 5-0 thrashing of Myanmar in an international friendly over the weekend. Another good result at National Stadium in the Maldives capital city, Male, would be just the tonic they need before facing China in Tuesday’s crunch group qualifier at Mong Kok Stadium. “As a coach, I feel excited at having the chance of turning a new page in Hong Kong’s history,” said coach Kim Pan-gon. “We have three more matches in the qualifiers and the coming two, including the one against China next week, will be the most crucial. “We are aiming for all six points before we play favourites Qatar in the last group match next year. “It’s not easy to reach the target, of course, but not impossible. “We fully understand Maldives would be a tough side and not easy to handle, especially with the home advantage. “But we have come here strongly motivated to reach the next round and the boys are also determined to get results.” Playmaker Lam Ka-wai said they had few worries about security in Maldives as the players were all focused on the game. Hong Kong had requested to switch the match after the Indian Ocean nation declared a state of emergency last week, but Fifa decided to go ahead with the original schedule after receiving guarantees from the Ministry of Defence in Maldives. Today’s match will now start earlier at 6.50pm (Hong Kong time). “We have been escorted by the authorities all the time and are always well protected,” said Lam. “The atmosphere is not as tense as we though it would be. “The weather is hot, just like our summer time, but we are used to it. However, I am more concerned about the pitch conditions as the surface has become very slippery after occasional rainfall here and our defence must pay full attention. But Hong Kong is an experienced side and if we can be patient in our attack, we certainly have a good chance of taking the three points home.” Of the 40 teams in the qualifiers, the top team from each of the eight groups, along with the four best second-placed nations, will advance to the next stage where the top two from each of the two six-team groups will make it to the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia. Hong Kong are second in group C with 10 points, three ahead of the mainlanders, who have one game in hand and will play against minnows Bhutan at home today. Hong Kong beat Maldives 2-0 at home in June. Hong Kong has since been strengthened, with the arrival of three new naturalised players, forwards Alex Akande, Paulo Carreiro and Sandro, all from champions Kitchee, ahead of the Myanmar game. Both Akande and Sandro scored in their international debut, while another naturalised player, Jaimes McKee, hit a brace with striker Chan Siu-ki picking up one.
According to The Power of Hong Kong (TPOHK) organized by core fans of Hong Kong team, Maldives FA (FAM) reserved 10 tickets for Hong Kong fans only. All other tickets have been sold out to home fans already, but there are more than 10 HK fans arrived Maldives and need the tickets. Obviously, FAM did not comply the regulation that 8% of tickets and a separated area should be reserved for the away team fans. TPOHK sends a request to HKFA to follow up this matter with FAM.
Maldives 0-1 Hong Kong That was a bit disappointing! Firstly, FAM were advised to sell a largely reduced number of tickets by the security services, and also instruments like drums were barred due to their "potential to be used as weaponry". Yeah, go put your heads down the toilet, useless scum... Regarding the match, Maldives had a bright first half but were made to pay for their missed chances by a penalty resulting from one of our customary brain farts between the goalie and defenders. It was scored totally against the run of play, but while I was hoping for more goalmouth action in the second half, the players decided to look completely clueless instead and pretend that they had never seen a goal in their lives. Herbert made a strong statement by withdrawing our most experienced duo, the captain and vice captain towards the end and give two more youngsters their debut and they almost capitalized. He did mention that he was going to favor more youthful players in the near future. It's similar to the Welsh model, where they decided to give caps to younger players and make them play together for a number of years at the cost of some heavy beatings, but ultimately they've managed to forge together a decent side and qualify for the Euros. Here's one for hoping! Anyway, I will be rooting for Hong Kong in their next match against China. They're very well poised to grab second spot, and it's always nice to see the Chinese getting handed one.
It was a tense match. I think our players are not comfortable playing 4-3-3 against 4-4-2. But I was surprised that many Maldives fans left the stadium before the final whistle. It was only 0-1 and Maldives could have equalized. The players are already back in Hong Kong now, they took the earliest direct flight back after the match. The HKFA had to pay more than HK$100,000 for this privilege. Well done to Brian Leung.
Other result: China 12-0 Bhutan China now on 10 points. I am sorry for Bhutan but this is part of the learning process. They lost only 0-1 to us and 3-4 to Maldives so they have some ability. They just need more experience.
The Standard Victorious Hong Kong still face knockout Kenneth Lau and Amy Nip Friday, November 13, 2015 Hong Kong's 1-0 win over the Maldives last night means they remain in second place in the 2008 World Cup qualification's Group C. But the danger of being knocked out remains acute after China beat Bhutan 12-0. So Hong Kong's game against China on Tuesday at Mong Kok Stadium is going to be pivotal - and goal difference could count in a big way when the final tallying is done. The situation now is that Qatar head the group with 15 points after playing five matches and winning them all. Following are Hong Kong, with 13 points from six matches and two games left - against China and Qatar on March 26. Then comes China with 10 points from five games. After their match against Hong Kong, they will have two games: against the Maldives (March 24) and Qatar (March 29). Last night, though, the talk was about Hong Kong striker Paulo Robspierry - Paulinho - scoring the only goal of the game against the Maldives with a 14th-minute penalty. The Maldives then dominated but could not find the Hong Kong net. Cheering on Hong Kong were about 10 fans who flew to the Indian Ocean country. While they were few they made themselves heard with chants such as "We are Hong Kong" in the politically wild Maldives, which had lifted a state of emergency earlier this week. Many local fans gathered at locations around Hong Kong to watch a live broadcast. About 100 people were intent on a big screen at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, cheering when Paulinho scored. "We stay united here and cheer for the team," said a young woman wearing a Hong Kong replica shirt. But a YouTube live broadcast of the match included fierce quarreling between Hong Kong and China fans. A live conversation window included mainland fans calling Hongkongers "dogs." But they were outnumbered by Hong Kong fans who said mainland internet users are supposed to be banned from YouTube and should stick to their own site. Many local fans also used bad language in frustration at what appeared to be a below-par performance by Hong Kong.
Well - Qatar update here... Qatar were not in action Thursday as it was their turn to sit out a game, but they did have a friendly vs. Turkey last night. Qatar started strongly and took the lead going into halftime. However, they faded in the 2nd half as Turkey turned the game around. A bit of a reminder that while Qatar has been improving, still quite a erm "gulf" in quality vs. mid-tiered Euro sides.... Also the ration between home and visitor fans kind of reminded me of going to watch the US take on some of their neighboring countries back in the early days - lol... well practically the whole Turkish community showed up... Anyhoo... the good news is that I did manage to get a new mobile, so will be a bit of a rise in quality of future video uploads....
China national football team have arrived in Hong Kong. They did not give interviews but did autograph for fans.
The Standard Team of 1,200 cops for big match Kenneth Lau Extra security measures are not being taken for tomorrow's World Cup Qualifier between Hong Kong and China at Mong Kok Stadium, although police plan to deploy 1,200 officers the same number as during last year's Occupy protest in the district. Yu Wai-kit, assistant district commander, said police are closely monitoring terrorist attacks elsewhere to maintain safety and stability here. "The terrorist threat level remains at moderate. There is currently no specific intelligence to suggest that Hong Kong might be a target of terrorism," Yu said yesterday. The officers deployed will include some from the Police Tactical Unit and Criminal Investigation Department. Half of the officers will be on standby at nearby police stations, while the rest will be on-site, a source said. Some of the 600 officers from the Kowloon West Regional Response contingent will be deployed around the the stadium, while others will be sent to patrol the streets in Mong Kok. Meanwhile, 20 constables will be sent into the stadium to assist security staff. "There are lots of bars there, and we have heard some `shopping tour protesters' will come and demonstrate. At the same time, several groups of citizens are organizing events to watch the football match live outside the stadium," the source said. Meanwhile, the visiting team were expected to arrive last night and attend a welcoming ceremony at Harbour Grand Kowloon, Hung Hom. The 23-member squad, coach and related staff were expected to exit the airport VIP arrivals lounge, with no media interviews requested. Mang Tin-yu, chief inspector of Mong Kok, said Flower Market Road, Yuen Ngai Street, Yuen Po Street and Prince Edward Road West will be temporarily closed from 9.35pm tomorrow just before the end of the game. Hong Kong and China supporters will enter from different entrances the first time for the Hong Kong Football Association to implement the measure. Local fans will enter from Flower Market Road, while mainland supporters will enter from Boundary Street. Each will have their own toilets and shops. HKFA chairman Brian Leung Hung- tak said: "They (mainland fans) cannot get into our zone, and ours cannot get into their zone." Fans will have to present their tickets to stadium staff, go through security checks and show their ID to staff. They will be allowed to enter the stadium from 5.30pm. About 6,000 fans all but 500 from Hong Kong are expected.
South China Morning Post Paulinho shrugs off China taunts on eve of crunch World Cup qualifier New Hong Kong striker refuses to rise to the bait that naturalised players won't make much difference Chan Kin-wa New face Paulinho has dismissed mainland reports that Hong Kong's naturalised players will hardly make a difference to the team in their crunch World Cup soccer qualifier against China on Tuesday. The Kitchee striker, who only obtained his Hong Kong passport last month along with clubmates Alex Akande and Sandro, scored the only goal for Hong Kong during their away 1-0 win against Maldives last week. "They can say whatever they want to and there is no importance at all," said Paulinho after finishing a training session at So Kon Po Recreation Ground on Sunday. "The most important thing for us is to beat them on the field and I am very confident we can achieve the goal." China striker Yang Yu, who scored four goals against visitors Bhutan in their last match, was quoted by mainland media as saying the new naturalised players of Hong Kong were not that good. "We watched them play in the Maldives games but did not think they were that good or difficult to handle. As long as we deliver and with a little luck, we can surly beat Hong Kong," Yang, who played in September's 0-0 draw with Hong Kong in Shenzhen, was quoted as saying. "After we failed to beat Hong Kong at home, we'll be more focused this time and beat them." Another China player, Huang Bowen, joked that it was not as if Hong Kong's naturalised players are Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. The Hong Kong team finished a closed-door session yesterday before heading to their base hotel in Sha Tin. They will have a final practice session at Mong Kok Stadium on Monday before playing their most important match so far in the Asian qualifiers. Hong Kong are second in group C with 13 points, three ahead of the mainlanders who have one game in hand. Qatar are leading the group with 15 points. Only the top team from the eight groups will advance to the next stage, along with the four best second-placed teams. Hong Kong and China are realistically eyeing second place.
South China Morning Post World Cup 'D-day': Victory is only option for Hong Kong and China in what is expected to be a fiery clash Explosive scenario for World Cup qualifier with anxious officials hoping local fans don't resort to booing national anthem at Mong Kok Stadium Chan Kin-wa Hong Kong football chiefs will be holding their breath tonight when players line up for a potentially explosive World Cup qualifier against China at Mong Kok Stadium. First, they will be hoping fans behave and respect the national anthem of Hong Kong and China, March Of The Volunteers, after incurring Fifa's wrath for booing at three previous home matches. Then, they will be praying Hong Kong can upstage "Big Brother" to continue an unlikely march to the 2018 finals in Russia. Hong Kong Football Association chairman Brian Leung Hung-tak has implored fans to focus solely on the game and resist provocative gestures. A production team from Fifa will be at the stadium to film the match - and the fans. The choice of the smaller Mong Kok venue over a larger stadium is still a contentious issue - only 6,000 tickets were available. The quota for mainland fans was 500 and they will be kept in a separate section in the North Stand to avoid any potential clashes. Both teams were confident yesterday of victory. Neither side can afford to get less than three points if they want to progress to the next round. Hong Kong coach Kim Pan-gon admitted China would be stronger, but said an upset was always on the cards. "We feel excited and are ready for the match as our target is to get three points," he said. "We know China well - their playing patterns, the tactics they have and the characteristics of each player. "We have our game plan and know how to beat them, even if this is a big challenge for us. We play at the same venue every single week and are very familiar with the ground. With the support of fans and all citizens of Hong Kong who will cheer for us, we are very united and will try to show to the people we will fight for them." China coach Alain Perrin said they had learnt from the game in Shenzhen in September when Hong Kong's defence repeatedly frustrated them in a 0-0 draw. "We need a victory this time and must find a solution … we have to improve and be more efficient," he said. "After the game [lost] against Qatar [1-0], we now need to win all four remaining matches if we want to play in the next round." His future as China coach could be on the line if they don't perform in remaining games. Some commentators say he should have been sacked after their loss to Qatar. His best bet seems to be to qualify as one of the four best second-placed teams to make the final qualifying round of the region. China captain Zheng Zhi, the only player from the 2004 World Cup qualifier squad who played against Hong Kong, said he had almost forgotten the last campaign, but the target remained the same. "We want to win and get all three points to help the team move to the next round," Zheng said. He said there would not be any hard feelings when he met Hong Kong captain-goalkeeper Yapp Hung-fai today after the latter claimed Zheng had verbally abused him during the Shenzhen match. "There are always incidents in soccer matches because it is a highly competitive sport," he said. "I respect opponents on the field and the teams we play against." The result tonight will play a key role in deciding group C with Qatar favourites to finish top. They have won all their five matches and are likely to add another victory tonight against Bhutan. Hong Kong are second with 13 points after six games and China are three points behind but have one game in hand. Only the eight group winners go straight to the next round, along with four best runners-up. Hong Kong have enjoyed a good run so far, being in a favourable group as a fifth-tier team - the lowest of the region. But they have still had to work hard. Hong Kong needed a last-minute header from striker Chan Siu-ki to defeat minnows Bhutan in October, while the goalpost saved them four times in the first half against China. In their last away match, they only beat the Maldives 1-0. In 1985, when China needed only a draw in Beijing against Hong Kong in the final match of qualifiers to advance to the next stage, they were stunned 2-1, a result that sparked street riots. A staggering win bonus of HK$2 million, the highest for a match in recent years, has been promised to Hong Kong players for tonight's clash.
The Standard Cup Match tension at fever pitch Kenneth Lau Hong Kong's footballers take on China tonight in a cliffhanger of a game as the result could decide who continues toward the dream of playing in the World Cup finals in Russia in 2018. That the SAR players now have a HK$2 million bonus pot to share out if they win at Mong Kok Stadium - sure to be packed to its absolute capacity of 6,600 long before the 8pm kickoff - is one indication of how important the game is seen by the Hong Kong Football Association. But China, underachievers in recent years, are also being spurred on by a nation desperate for football success. The intensity of the heat that the game is generating can be seen by the fact that 1,200 police officers will be close - or one cop for every five or six fans - in case the rivalry is too much for some. Indeed, there have already been fierce online exchanges between fans. Some of that has been caused by Hong Kong fans booing during the playing of the national anthem. And the Chinese players are also out to avenge Hong Kong going to Shenzhen on September 3 and leaving with a share of the points after a fighting 0-0 draw - a result that dumbfounded many of their fans. Yet the reality is that neither side is assured of advancing from World Cup qualifying Group C to regional knockout games. For only the top team from each of the eight groups is assured of moving on, with the four best of the runner-up teams joining them. Qatar is set to be No 1. Hong Kong has one game to go, a tough one away to Qatar, so the big hope is that a win tonight will give them the edge on China, who have two games left against Qatar and the Maldives. They could end with the same points tally, which would make goal difference crucial. With tickets for the game at a premium, at least 15 supporter groups are coming together for big screen viewing at locations throughout the SAR. Venues include Hill Road in Western, Mount Parker Road in Quarry Bay, Tung Chau Street in Sham Shui Po, Pai Tau village in Sha Tin, the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University. The rival teams have already had their final training sessions in Mong Kok Stadium with the Hong Kong players settling for light stretching exercises yesterday. Coach Kim Pan Gon said he knows it will be tough tonight. "China is much stronger than us," he said. "That's a fact. But with strategy - tactics - we can win." Defender Lee Chi-ho agreed that China is the stronger team, but "the pressure is on them." China team coach Alain Perrin said Hong Kong had shown strong defensive capabilities in recent game, so his players must be more efficient in attack and taking their scoring opportunities. China team captain Zheng Zhi said he respected Hong Kong, but he saw the draw in Shenzhen as two points lost for his team. "We need to compensate," he said. "We are going to take three points." On a shouting match he had with Hong Kong goalkeeper and acting captain Yapp Hung-fai in Shenzhen, Zheng said such exchanges were common in big matches. Still, it appears that Zheng and Yapp will be making a very public show of shaking hands before the kickoff tonight. Of the HK$2 million being offered to Hong Kong players for a win, HK$1 million is being put up by Chim Pui- chung, a former finance sector legislator who occupies honorary positions with the Hong Kong FA, HK$700,000 from sponsors, with HK$500,000 of that from G2000, and HK$300,000 by the HKFA. Boo boys best beware penalty shout There can be no overstating the importance of tonight's match at Mong Kok Stadium. For if Hong Kong defeats China in the Fifa World Cup qualifier, the SAR team will most likely advance, with the mainland side probably eliminated. But if China prevails, the roles may be switched. The stadium will be packed with fans for each club. However, conspicuously absent will be senior officials who have been surprisingly muted so far. Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying won't be in the stands, as he's in Manila attending the APEC summit. Meanwhile, the newly-promoted home affairs minister, Lau Kong-wah, is visiting the mainland, and even Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun- wah - an ardent football fan - is away in Turkey for the G20 summit. Fortunately, Tsang was mindful enough to offer a few words of encouragement to the Hong Kong team before departing. In contrast, Legislative Council president Jasper Tsang Yok-sing seems to have greater freedom in supporting the home side. All this may be purely coincidental. It's said in political circles that members of the pro-Beijing camp tried to persuade Leung to attend the match in person in order to foster social unity. However, for some reason, the chief executive wasn't keen on the idea. Tonight's match is crucial for both Hong Kong and China. So far into the qualifying round, the SAR is in second place in Group C, one spot behind Qatar and just ahead of the mainland. Some critics said it was a miracle that Hong Kong was able to repel China's offensive in Shenzhen on September 3 - holding their opponent to a scoreless draw. At this point, what worries the Hong Kong Football Association is whether local fans will again boo when the national anthem is played at the start of tonight's contest. Still reeling from the largely symbolic HK$40,000 fine for the earlier misconduct, the association is concerned the penalty will be heavier the next time Fifa takes action. According to association chairman Brian Leung Hung-tak, the worst could be a forfeit ruling for Hong Kong - even if we score more goals than China tonight. That would surely be the last thing we want to see. Fans should consciously avoid doing anything, regardless of political views, that may harm their football idols. A forfeit despite scoring more goals would be absolutely demoralizing for everyone. In a polarized environment, almost anything can be made political. Clearly, League of Social Democrats lawmaker "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung was trying to capitalize on the situation when he said it's no longer purely a football game, but an event to express political opinions. Even if it's not entirely possible, sports should still be separated as far as possible from politics. So, let's forget politics and watch Hong Kong fight on bravely tonight.
I support Hong Kong 100%, but I fear that the team now is a little over-excited and really believe they can go toe-to-toe with China. I am hoping for a win definitely and will support them the whole match, but if I were to place a bet on this, I would bet on a China win. Singapore drew with Japan in Saitama (0:0) but last week they got beaten 0:3 at home. I imagine China will not make the same mistakes they did in Shenzhen.
http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-china-blog-34840747 The match is getting lots of attention and even made it into BBC news
And so Hong Kong eliminate China again! Let' see the Chinese reaction, another embarassing failure for them, already out from World Cup 2018...even the third round they couldn't make...