Welcome to the future of Hong Kong football: VAR and extensive added time arrive in city for Manchester United visit
- Numerous decisive VAR decisions featured in Manchester United youth match
- Hong Kong fans given early sight of technology to accompany strong home display
A protracted VAR decision and 10 minutes added to the first half gave supporters watching Manchester United U16s tackle a Hong Kong youth select team this weekend a glimpse into the changing face of football in the city.
And if a peek into the future wasn’t sufficient bang for the fans’ bucks, they got to witness a group of Manchester United youngsters looking like Manchester United, too.
From the familiar red jerseys, to the pointed responses after conceding a pair of first-half equalisers, this was unmistakably a team from Old Trafford.
There was plenty to like for watching Hong Kong manager Jorn Andersen, as well. The city’s young players were resilient and courageous and, in the cases of midfielders Jeffrey Chin Yu-ho and Hui Siu-chung, in particular, mobile, intelligent and quick footed.
Matt Ng-Brett, the 15-year-old Hong Kong defender, talked about a boisterous crowd supplying players with “infinite energy”.
“If you lose the ball, they get you up to keep running,” he said. “It’s honestly unreal [to experience] for the first time.”
VAR technology is on its way to the Hong Kong Premier League, initially on a curious hybrid basis but with a view to sweeping implementation. Get used, then, to episodes like the one that occurred inside four minutes at Mong Kok Stadium.
United were awarded a penalty for a nudge in the back of elusive winger Bendito. When play restarted three minutes later, it was with the hosts in possession after referee Luk Kin-sun eventually reversed his decision.
