Hong Kong spot on as they regain Interport Cup against Guangdong
Goalkeeper Yuen Ho-chun the hero as he pulls off a series of saves including two crucial stops in the penalty shoot-out as young guns take trophy back home
Goalkeeper Douglas Yuen Ho-chun pulled off a string of fine saves during regulation and then worked his magic in the penalty shoot-out as Hong Kong pulled off the improbable by regaining the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup for the first time in five years in Guangzhou on Sunday.
Hong Kong won the first leg earlier in the week 2-0 but conceded two goals in regulation in a match that finished 2-2 on aggregate at the end of extra-time.
The match all came down to penalties and Hong Kong, made up mainly of under-23 players, held their nerve to win the shoot-out 4-2 and win the coveted interport trophy for the first time since 2013.
“The boys performed really well under the circumstances,” said interim Hong Kong coach Kenneth Kwok Ka-lok. “We are a young side and some of the players were suffering from injuries and even illness so that made it more difficult. But we had fire in our bellies and we handled the pressure, even in the penalty shootout where we held our own. We rose to the occasion. It wasn’t an easy thing to do,” he said.
Hong Kong probably wouldn’t have regained the traditional new year cup, which was celebrating its 40th anniversary, had it not been for the exploits of Yuen.