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The Hong Kong football team  has a chance to qualify for the  Asian Cup finals for the first time in  35 years.

Stage Two of the Group A qualifiers for the continental championship, held every four years, continues in Bangkok, Thailand, today with Hong Kong still able to advance to next summer's finals in China.

Coach Lai Sun-cheung's side exceeded expectations when they picked up four points in their three matches in chilly Tashkent last week. They beat Thailand, drew with Tajikistan, and lost to Uzbekistan.

'I'm surprised,' captain Lee Wai-man told a South China Morning Post reporter in Tashkent.

'I thought our best chance was to beat Tajikistan. Thailand and Uzbekistan are such strong teams. We're over our target.'

Lai's team  had only two practice sessions and one friendly match before the qualifiers.

'It's no problem. It's always the same. No manager. No doctor. We've never had them before,' said Lai. 'Preparation is important for every national team, but again for the Hong Kong team every time is the same. In the league we have gweilos who can get under the high ball, but Hong Kong strikers are not as big or strong. We only really have one forward, but this time our defence has done much better.'

Before this summer, the team hadn't played together since the World Cup qualifying group games in 2001. But victories over Macau, Taiwan, Mongolia and Guam in the preliminary round of the inaugural East Asian Football Federation Championship in March, followed by matches against Liverpool and Real Madrid, have got them back on track.

'The midfield and defence are much more confident, better than before,' said the 30-year-old sweeper Lee.

'Maybe it's because of this we've got better results - seeing the Olympic team do well against South Korea and then  losing by only one goal to Japan's Olympic team in a friendly and now beating Thailand, who are still a good team.'

Hong Kong play the same teams in three more qualifiers this week - starting with hosts Thailand today.

'It's 50-50. Thailand will be very difficult for us because it's so hot. I think the first match is very important. If we can get a draw, our chances will be more like 70 per cent. Thailand have to win three games. One draw and they're finished. There's pressure on both of us.'



Hong Kong footballers warming to their task