Hong Kong given AFC Asian Cup finals boost, key man Nunez expected to be fit after shoulder fears allayed

Centre-back Vas Nunez expected to be fit for tournament in Qatar in January after scans on shoulder injured during Turkmenistan clash

Head coach Jorn Andersen had been fearing worst, but towering defender sustained no ‘structural’ damage

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There was good news for Hong Kong after scans showed Vas Nunez did not suffer a serious shoulder injury this week. Photo: AFP

Published: 3:08pm, 24 Nov 2023

Hong Kong have received a major AFC Asian Cup finals boost after scans revealed Vas Nunez suffered no “structural” damage to his shoulder in Tuesday’s clash with Turkmenistan.

Centre-back Nunez was forced off deep into the second half of the World Cup qualifier at Hong Kong Stadium, which finished 2-2.

Head coach Jorn Andersen had been left fearing the worst for Nunez, and said after the game the injury “did not look good … he was in a lot of pain”.

The Hong Kong FA are waiting for final hospital reports, but a spokesman told the Post the injury “does not look like anything structural”, and it is expected Nunez will be fine after a short period of rest.

Nunez has grown into a key figure for head coach Jorn Andersen and captained the national team in Iran last week

The defender, who turned 28 on Wednesday, could even be ready for the beginning of a month-long training camp on December 14. Hong Kong play their first Asian Cup match in Qatar, against the United Arab Emirates, on January 14.