Asian Games: heartbreak for Hong Kong as late lapses in concentration prove very costly against fired-up hosts
Hong Kong collapse in the second half to throw away the chance to progress as group winners, and instead qualify in third
The 3-1 loss to Indonesia, who fought back from 1-0 down at half-time to leapfrog Kenneth Kwok Kar-lok’s side and advance automatically, thereby avoiding the cream of the competition, was Hong Kong’s first in Jakarta, but proved very costly as they were paired with AFC under-23 champions Uzbekistan in the last-16.
With the exception of a Son Heung-min-inspired South Korea, the Uzbeks are possibly the most difficult team to face in the round of 16.
It could have been so different. Kwok’s men got their noses in front five minutes before half-time in a cautious and uninspiring opening half.
Happy to sit back conceding territory to their hosts, Hong Kong’s greatest threat came on the break and it was those circumstances that saw skipper Lau Hok-ming ghost in at the back post and put Hong Kong in front against the run of play.
They saw out the half with the atmosphere souring both on the pitch and in the stands, and had one foot in the last-16 as group winners at the interval. But they immediately relinquished their advantage in the opening minute of the second half and galvanised the home team in the process.