2023 Asian Cup qualifiers: Hong Kong boss refuses to play it safe despite draw being enough against India
- Hong Kong lead India by goal difference as both have six points going into last group match on Tuesday night
- But Hong Kong may have qualified before the match if earlier results go in their favour
Hong Kong will not change their aggressive style of play under new coach Jorn Andersen, despite only needing a draw against India to qualify for the 2023 Asian Cup for the first time for more than 50 years.
Heading into the last Group D match against the hosts in Kolkata on Tuesday night (kick-off 11pm HKT), Hong Kong lead India on goal difference with both sides having beaten Afghanistan and Cambodia in their previous games.
Victory or a draw will guarantee that Hong Kong finish top of the group and qualify, but they may still reach next year’s finals even if they lose, with the five best second-placed teams also progressing.
Andersen’s side could already have secured their spot in the finals by the time they kick-off, with the Philippines, who have four points, needing to beat Palestine in Group B to pass either Hong Kong or India’s total of six points.
The region’s top 13 teams have already made it through to the 2023 cup tournament, leaving 11 spots for the qualifiers.
Despite only needing a draw, Andersen, who replaced Mixu Paatelainen as Hong Kong coach in December, has insisted his team will not be playing it safe.
“There will be no change of the game plan even though one point is good enough,” he said. “We will find a game plan which we believe we can beat them. We will focus on our way, try to attack India, try to touch them because they don’t like that.
“No team likes to play against an aggressive team who attacks them, who presses high, who defends high. No teams like that and that’s our strength for tomorrow.”