https://www.sportsroad.hk/archives/371784 The Hong Kong team will be going to Thailand for training in May regardless of the FTC reopening. I guess the either the HKFA don't want to risk another lockdown or they couldn't get a refund on their deposits.
In addition, I believe they are going to head to Kuala Lampur on June 1st in a friendly international against the Malaysia national football team where former HK head coach Kim Pan Gon is currently managing.
Kitchee got their AFC Champions League campaign off to a winning start against Chiangrai United FC with a goal from Ruslan Mingazov which puts them on top of Group J as they face Vissel Kobe next on Tuesday.
AFC Cup qualifying play-off: Athletic 220 FC 1:2 Lee Man FC Lee Man should consider themselves lucky to have scrapped through. They did not do anything impressive in the match and their opponents are a little too green. Lee Man will proceed to the group stage. Eastern FC and Tainan FC awaits them along with CPK of Macau. But I suspect CPK will eventually withdraw from the tournament as they did last year. Because most of their players are amateurs and they cannot afford the long quarantine periods when they return to Macau.
Here is the announced 34-man preliminary squad named for the upcoming 2023 Asian Cup Third Round qualifiers: First senior call-ups for Paulo Cesar, Ng Wai Him, Tomas Maronesi, Tsang Yi Hang, Jesse Yu Joy Yin, Sohgo Ichokawa, Sean Tse, Wellingsson de Souza and Jahangir Khan. Helio de Souza Goncalves, Tong Kin Man, Tsang Kam To. Cheng Siu Kwan, Chung Wai Keung and most notably Shinichi Chan (currently serving a one-year suspension) are absentees. However, there are recalls for Yue Tsz Nam, Cheng Chin Lung, Wang Zhenpeng, Chan Siu Kwan, Wong Tsz Ho and Alex Akande.
They were too wasteful in the final third especially Gil and Acosta. The pitch was a little bit strange because the ball was bouncing like a ping-pong one. Nevertheless I think the qualification was never in doubt. Some quality differences between the two sides. Last year it was 5-1 for Lee Man when played at home. Now the circumstances made the scoreline be like this. It was the first official game for them after a long break. BTW, do you know when football resumes there? Everywhere is almost back to usual except the "mighty" China and HK.
The 2021-22 HK local football season is over/cancelled. So theoretically the local football season will only resume in August/September or later. Kitchee, Eastern and Lee Man are either playing or getting ready to play in Asian club competitions. The HK national team and U23 teams are preparing for the 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers (June), 2022 EAFF East Asian Cup (July) and 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games football tournament (Sept).
Vissel Kobe 2:1 Kitchee Vissel Kobe was the better side but Kitchee created some good chances. I'd say it was a fair result. Hopefully Kitchee will pick themselves up for the two remaining matches, they are very much still in it. Vissel made 5 substitutions and Kitchee made only 2. Alex Chu is a very conservative coach. Even when some players were not playing particularly well he did not substitute them. Somehow I feel once he has fallen in love with his starting line up he has trouble moving away from it.
https://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/news/20220419/bkn-20220419180350014-0419_00822_001.html Yuen Long Stadium's rebuilding project funding is being debated in the LegCo. If the project gets the green light, then it will become a 6000 all seater and AFC match fit, meaning it will be the third stadium in HK fit to host AFC Cup or ACL matches.
https://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/sport/20220422/bkn-20220422152548710-0422_00882_001.html Tainan has announced that it will NO LONGER hosts the AFC Cup Group J matches anymore. This now paves the way for either Hong Kong or Macau to host the group. Obviously Hong Kong is the clear favourite to host because two clubs are in it. But I think unless Macau hosts it, MUST CPK will not be able to take part at all as the majority of their players are amateurs and need to go to work.
Vissel Kobe beat Changrai United once by 6-0 and drew with them once 0-0. Vissel Kobe now has 7 points and leads the group. Now all Kitchee needs to do to win the group is to win its two remaining matches, pure and simple. Should Kitchee wins the next match against Changrai United, then Kitchee is guaranteed second place in the group.
Here is an updated list of 31 players named for the preliminary squad in preparation for the third round qualifiers: Roberto Affonso Junior, Alex Akande and Tsang Yi Hang all miss out. Jorn Andersen still hopes that he can bring players who are currently within Chinese clubs (Tan Chun Lok, Leung Nok Hang, Vas Nunez etc) to the squad in time for the third round qualifiers.
Any reason why specifically Roberto, Akande, and Tsang were dropped out of the 34 man list? I would think that at least Roberto and Akande had a chance of playing.
What a thrilling game! Kitchee just managed to secure an all-important win against Chiangrai United by goals scored by Alex Akande, Dejan Damjanovic and Law Tsz Chun to keep their hopes of advancing alive.
For the final ACL group match between Kitchee and Vissel Kobe, I wonder what side Vissel Kobe will play with, since they are already through to the last 16. They still need to go back to Japan for the more important J League matches so I guess maybe they won't play with their strongest side. Incidentally, if the two clubs draw, then both will progress. https://www.espn.com/soccer/afc-cha...fc-champions-league-last-16-havent-won-groups ESPN Soccernet has a summary on what every club needs to progress.
I will say that Akande did well against Chiangrai United despite coming on as a second half substitute. But I do feel he needs to try and establish himself even further within Kitchee in order to prove that he has what it takes to break in to the national team. Whether or not he can still push for a place in the first team against Vissel Kobe in a few days time will remain a question. I think someone mentioned this earlier, but Alex Chu is quite reserved when it comes to utilising his substitutions. Alex came on during the second half replacing Cheng Chin Lung, but it took almost towards the 90th minute mark to bring in Matt Orr and Huang Yang in to play. In contrast, Chiangrai United made a number of substitutions throughout the second half. I do hope that Chu will make efficient use of his substitutes when Kitchee face Vissel Kobe. Anyways in other news, the HKFA confirmed that HK-U23's Wong Ho Yin and Ng Man Hei have been added to the preliminary squad list for the upcoming 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers.
Alex Chu only makes substitutions that are more or less forced on him. Alex Akande replaced Cheng Chin-Lung because Kitchee was 0-1 down and the team needed to score; Matt Orr came on for Law Tsz-Chun because Law Tsz-Chun was having cramps. The other replacement (Huang Yang for Damjanovic) was in stoppage time and it was purely for time wasting. Alex Chu is going to see Vissel Kobe makes all 5 substitutions on Sunday I can guarantee you. They have already qualified and they no need to worry about the result, so Miguel Lotina will surely send on many young players. These young players will be eager to impress and they will probably drain the energy of Kitchee's aging players.
Kitchee has finally made history as they became the first ever Hong Kong club to make it to the round of 16. There was a load of drama being played in both halves especially for Raul Baena who conceded what seemed to be a penalty in the first half, scored in the last few minutes in the second half and then got sent off after he picked up another yellow. Lincoln scored from the penalty spot to give Vissel Kobe the lead before they conceded a penalty from the other end via Leo Osaki's handball in which Dejan Damjanovic scored from the spot to give Kitchee the equaliser in the first half. More drama ensued in the second half after Yoshinori Muto restored Vissel Kobe's lead before Raul Baena picked up from Cleiton's corner kick to once again provide Kitchee with the all important equaliser they needed to advance before he got sent off. It is believed that Kitchee will face Thai club BG Patham United in the round of 16.
Jorn Andersen and the preliminary squad began their training sessions today in preparation for the third round qualifiers of the 2023 Asian Cup. The Kitchee players will have to undergo quarantine upon returning from Thailand and will not be able to participate within at least a week of the training sessions. But will be able to participate once their quarantine ends. However four of the Kitchee players Paulo Cesar, Matthew Orr, Tomas Maronesi and Sean Tse will delay their training sessions due to personal reasons and could return later. It is believed that the squad will face local clubs Eastern and Lee Man first before the list dwindles down to 25. They will then head to Thailand to play against a local club and the Thailand U23 side. Whilst Andersen hopes he can bring the players more confidence and provide a more attacking approach within the squad, he still hope to bring in the Hong Kong players within the Chinese clubs (Tan Chun Lok, Leung Nok Hang, Vas Nunez etc) in time for the national team's friendly international against Malaysia. Source: https://www.sportsroad.hk/archives/373223
Kitchee coach Alex Chu will have to bear most of the blame if Kitchee went out. He did not react at all when Vissel Kobe sent on Osako and Muto, two very talented strikers with European experience, at the 60th min. The Kitchee players looked so tired, I said to my wife at 80th min that Viseel Kobe is going to score and they duly did with Muto. If Baena did not score in injury time, then I am pretty sure Alex Chu would be sacked. A coach who does not trust his substitutes should not remain the head coach of a top club.
Lee Man's Chang Hei Yin and Rangers Lo Siu Kei are also suspended after last year's incident that happened in Japan during their failed 2023 AFC U23 Asian Championships qualification that had also saw eleven others getting suspended that included Shinichi Chan. This means that they too will not be available for selection for the upcoming Asian Games. https://www.sportsroad.hk/archives/...HHKFvt0iky8wHbo7WyzUaf4KYZxigep9nyqkqM0KswxGc In addition, Eastern and Lee Man's AFC Cup group fixtures will take place in Thailand as their centralized venue. https://www.sportsroad.hk/archives/373894
Hong Kong has risen to third in AFC Club Competitons ranking - East Zone, just behind the big two, Japan and Korea. That means 2 clubs will play in ACL group matches and 2 clubs will play ACL qualifying play-offs in the 2025-26. Hopefully enough clubs will still be around by then...
The 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games has been postponed. That means the HK U23 squad will not be playing in Sept. I wonder if HKFA will still send the U23 squad to the EAFF East Asia Cup in Japan in July. Maybe they will send the full national team instead?
They could field a mix of U23 and senior players for the EAFF East Asia Cup. If the Asian Games is postponed until next year, this could mean that some of the U23 players that are currently serving suspension will be eligible for selection. In addition, Jorn Andersen's preliminary squad were in action today in the first of their 4 practice matches as they took on Eastern Long Lions. They will play Eastern Long Lions again on 11th May next in which some of the Kitchee players that were selected will commence their training sessions on 10th May. https://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/sport/2...cT3OzspxbpXXxrYANDFxFZGOQgX6oAxgqrY6EatRY_s-g
Hong Kong teenager Michael Udebuluzor signs with German third tier club FC Ingolstadt. Michael formerly played with the Kitchee youth team before he played in several German divisional clubs since 2018. His father Cornelius played within several Hong Kong clubs with Sun Hei and Rangers in 2000 and retired in 2007. I wonder if the HKFA will have any interest in monoriting his progress and will Michael have any interest to represent Hong Kong in the future?