As Hong Kong footballers swap Asian Cup stadiums for crowd of 500 in Kowloon, fans urge officials to promote the game better
- Days after performing in front of thousands, Hong Kong players return to domestic cup action in more modest surroundings and try to keep the bar high
- Eastern coach Roberto Losada rejects concerns expressed by national team boss over club players’ fitness, and insists priority is to cultivate young talent
Nine days after the adrenaline rush of playing for Hong Kong against Iran in front of 36,412 fervent souls, Sun Ming-him was back in familiar, reduced surroundings.
Only 448 people shuffled into Sham Shui Po Sports Ground to watch Sun’s Eastern play Southern in the Sapling Cup on Sunday, 81 fewer than attended a game between the teams on November 5. No immediate bounce from Hong Kong’s AFC Asian Cup efforts, then.
Sun, however, insisted motivation was no problem. “It is our passion, we have a responsibility to the club, and to repay the commitment of the fans,” he said.
The consensus among those viewing this 1-1 draw was that much more promotion of domestic football was needed from the Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA) to build on the national team’s showing in Qatar.
Jason, a 21-year-old Eastern fan, questioned why this home fixture for his team was played on neutral territory.