HK matches will be Kezman's last

Former Serbia international Mateja Kezman will finish his glittering career in Hong Kong after playing for South China in the Asian Challenge Cup next week.

The 32-year-old striker, whose former clubs include PSV Eindhoven, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, will return to Hong Kong tomorrow after agreeing to play for the Caroliners in the four-team tournament to celebrate Lunar New Year.

'Kezman likes Hong Kong very much and has had a lot support from fans during his time here,' South China convenor Steven Lo Kit-sing said.

'If he wants a place to call it a day in his soccer career, there is no better place than Hong Kong.

'This is an honour for Hong Kong soccer. We will arrange some activities for him on the second day of the tournament, which will be Mateja's last match as he bids farewell to a career of almost two decades. We will reserve the number 38 jersey he used in Hong Kong.'

South China will take on Japan League side Shimizu S-Pulse on the opening day of the tournament, which also features Chinese Super League side Guangzhou R&F and former Asian Champions League winners Seongnam Ilhwa Chuma of South Korea, at the Hong Kong Stadium on January 23. The winners of the two opening matches will battle for the cup three days later while the losers will face off for the third place.

S-Pulse will be headed by Freddie Ljungberg, the former Arsenal star who played against Kezman in the English Premier League in 2004 when the latter was with Chelsea.