Mixu Paatelainen sees red as Hong Kong end World Cup qualifiers with 4-0 loss to Bahrain
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All four goals came in the second half at the Bahrain National Stadium in Riffa, including two penalty kicks that wrapped the Hong Kong campaign in dismay with a fourth-place finish among five teams in the group.
The crushing result appeared to have ended their progress to the 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifying third round as they missed out on being one of the four best fourth-placed teams across all groups. Afghanistan forced a 1-1 draw against India in group E and took over Hong Kong as fourth-best runner-up so Mixu Paatelainen’s side were set to enter the qualifying play-off round later this year.
However, the AFC confirmed that Hong Kong were among 22 teams to qualify for the third qualifying round and that the play-offs for the final two teams to join would be contested between Indonesia, Cambodia, Taiwan and Guam.
Building on their last results against heavyweights Iran, who finished top of the group, and Iraq as the tournament became a bubble-based competition in Bahrain because of the pandemic, Hong Kong had high expectations against the hosts.