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Ada Li

Hong Kong’s football team ended their 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifying campaign with a 2-1 defeat in the dead-rubber match against India in Kochi on Tuesday, finishing the group stage under interim head coach Roberto Losada.
Losada, who took over after the departure of Ashley Westwood in November, is one of the more than 300 applicants in the running for the permanent head coach role.
Hong Kong headed into the match knowing that they were unable to qualify for the Asian Cup next year after losing 2-1 to Singapore at Kai Tak Stadium in November.
Losada, who took charge of his first international fixture, was missing several frontline players through injury, including Matt Orr, and Juninho through suspension.
The head coach handed debuts to four players and the starting 11 featured only four players from the defeat to Singapore.
Making their full international debuts, the 22-year-old goalkeeper Pong Cheuk-hei was picked ahead of the more experienced Tse Ka-wing, who was nursing a thigh injury, while midfielder Barak Braunshtain, 26, also started.

Defender Jason Kam Chi-kin, 22, came off the bench for his debut at the same time as Ngan Cheuk-pan, who recently joined Chinese Super League side Qingdao Hainiu, in the 60th minute. Forward Ng Yu-hei, 20, also started the match on the bench.
India raced into an early lead when their debutant Ryan Williams scored after just four minutes – the fastest goal by a player in their first match in the history of the Indian men’s national team.
Akash Mishra doubled the advantage in the second half before Everton Camargo pulled one back for Hong Kong in the 65th minute, assisted by Braunshtain.
While chasing the match, Losada overlooked forwards Lau Chi-lok and Philip Chan Siu-kwan, bringing on midfielder Lam Hin-ting in the 78th minute.
“Disappointed with the loss, obviously,” Losada said at the post-match press conference.
“When you play these matches, you always want to win. But I am very satisfied with some parts of the game and with some players who gave everything today at this high level.
“So there are mixed feelings: sad because we lost in front of our fans who came to support us, but on the other hand, we had some moments in the game [when] we did very well. Mostly, some young talents are coming up.”
Hong Kong finished second in the group behind Singapore with two wins, two draws and two losses. Singapore qualified for the Asian Cup, to be held in Saudi Arabia in January, as group winners.
Despite the disappointment of not qualifying, the campaign was marked by solid home support.

All three of Hong Kong’s home qualifiers at Kai Tak Stadium attracted record crowds: 42,570 for the 1-0 win over India last June, 45,489 for the 1-1 draw with Bangladesh in October and 47,762 for the defeat against Singapore – the highest attendance ever for a Hong Kong football home match.
Off the pitch, Football Association of Hong Kong, China chairman Eric Fok Kai-shan revealed the association had received more than 300 applications for the role of head coach.
These include Losada and current Sri Lanka manager Abdullah Al Mutairi, who proposed a five-year plan to lead Hong Kong to the 2031 Asian Cup finals.
First-round interviews are scheduled for this month, with a final decision targeted for June.
Al Mutairi and his Sri Lanka team fared a bit better than Hong Kong on Tuesday, beating Chinese Taipei 3-1.
Hong Kong’s next fixture is expected to be an away friendly in June, though opponents have yet to be confirmed.


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Asian Football Confederation (AFC)

Hong Kong coach Losada ends Asian Cup qualifying campaign with defeat and ‘mixed feelings’

Hong Kong’s starting lineup against India (in blue) featured only four of the players that started  their previous match, a 2-1 loss to Singapore. Photo: HKFA

Hong Kong interim coach Roberto Losada (right) handed debuts to four players. Photo: HKFA

Everton Camargo (in red), who scored Hong Kong’s only goal, takes a shot under pressure. Photo: HKFA 

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Hong Kong ice climber Janet Kung holds high hopes for the technical sport in the city. Photo: Janet Kung

Janet Kung represented Hong Kong at the 2026 UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup in South Korea. Photo: Janet Kung

Janet Kung co-founded the city’s first indoor ice climbing arena. Photo: Janet Kung

Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards: fencer Ryan Choi, swimmer Siobhan Haughey win ‘best of best’

Swimmer Siobhan Haughey (left) and fencer Ryan Choi with their “best of the best” trophies at the Cathay 2025 Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards ceremony at the Convention and Exhibition Centre on Tuesday. Photo: Dickson Lee

Badminton players Tse Ying-suet (left) and Tang Chun-man won a best sports combination award. Photo: Dickson Lee

The Hong Kong men’s handball side were named the city’s best team. Photo: Dickson Lee

Sport

Football

Hong Kong

Interim mentor one of more than 300 applicants for permanent head coach role, with interviews to start this month and decision made in June


Interim mentor one of more than 300 applicants for permanent head coach role, with interviews to start this month and decision made in June.


Hong Kong coach Losada ends Asian Cup qualifying campaign with defeat and ‘mixed feelings’

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Interim mentor one of more than 300 applicants for permanent head coach role, with interviews to start this month and decision made in June

Interim mentor one of more than 300 applicants for permanent head coach role, with interviews to start this month and decision made in June