World Cup 2022: First win for Hong Kong as Mixu Paatelainen’s side beat Keisuke Honda’s Cambodia at Hong Kong Stadium
- Victory could prove vital for AFC Asian Cup 2023 qualifying hopes
- Attacking formation pays off with Roberto Affonso-inspired 2-0 defeat of side that they drew 1-1 with on match day one
Hong Kong’s men’s football team finally threw off the shackles in their dual Fifa 2022 World Cup and AFC Asian Cup 2023 qualifying campaign at Hong Kong Stadium on Tuesday night.
Head coach Mixu Paatelainen threw caution to the wind with a front three of James Ha, Alex Akande and Giovane Alves da Silva – and the Finn was rewarded with a first three points of his tenure and two goals to boot.
He was justified in his selection. Ha and Akande’s pace caused problems for the Cambodia defence and those two were involved in the opening goal in the 20th minute. It was scored by Ha, volleying home emphatically, but it was made by the direct running of Akande down the right wing and the cross from Roberto Affonso Jnr.
Paatelainen had said in the pre-match press conference that the team had worked on tactics to create chances and this was straight off the training ground. It was used time and again, along with sending Andy Russell up for long throws and dead balls, although there were no further goals from those tactics.
Despite giving up a goal the young Cambodia had certainly not given up and were playing much the more fluent football. They had even begun to threaten Yapp Hung-fai’s goal more often as the second half went on but it was a threat on the goalkeeper himself that changed the game.