Hong Kong coach Lai Sun-cheung thanked local fans last night as he was cheered by over a thousand of them in his final match in charge.
The SAR defeated Bangladesh 2-0 in the Asian Cup qualifiers at Mong Kok Stadium, handing the coach a farewell present, but the win was not enough to send Hong Kong through to the finals next year. Uzbekistan, who led Hong Kong by three points before the match, beat group leaders Qatar 2-0 at home in the other group F match as the two sides qualified for the finals. Hong Kong came third with eight points.
Playing on a slippery surface with drizzle falling throughout the match, Gerard Ambassa Guy scored both goals in a match in which neither side looked impressive. 'The result was a bit disappointing as we only beat the opposition by a slim margin, but I am very happy to see the fans who braved the rain to come here to support the Hong Kong team knowing there was only a little chance for us to qualify,' said the outgoing coach. 'Over the years, the results of the team were not 100 per cent perfect as we lost in many matches, but the support of the fans has never ceased.'
