After Hong Kong footballers send Kai Tak fans home happy, boss targets Asian Cup
Team’s first match in new stadium ‘will be talked about for years’, Ashley Westwood says as he eyes 2027 finals in Saudi Arabia
Hong Kong’s win over India at Kai Tak Stadium on Tuesday will be talked about for years and earned a golden chance to qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, according to coach Ashley Westwood.
A third successive goalless draw looked on the cards before Stefan Pereira’s stoppage-time penalty sparked wild celebrations among home fans.
The 1-0 victory left Westwood’s side second in Group C of the qualifying stage. Singapore claimed top spot – level with Hong Kong on four points but having scored more goals – thanks to their 2-1 win in Bangladesh on Tuesday.
“I am sure [Tuesday’s] game will be talked about for years to come – the attendance, the result,” Westwood said. “It puts us in a great position to qualify, and hopefully we can keep building, gaining momentum and improving.”
His team’s Asian Cup quest will resume in October with two qualifying fixtures against Bangladesh, away then home. They host Singapore in November before finishing with a match away to India next March. Only the top team in the group will go through to the finals in Saudi Arabia.
Before that is next month’s East Asian Football Federation Championship finals in South Korea, in which Hong Kong play Japan on July 8, the hosts three days later then China on July 15.