Tag: HKsport

Kitchee Claim First Ever ACL Win

Kitchee became the first Hong Kong team to win a match in the AFC Champions League when in dramatic fashion with a goal in the 93 minute they beat Japan’s Kashiwa Reysol 1-0 at the Hong Kong Stadium.

Kitchee academy graduate Cheng Chin Lung, an 80th minute substitute, was the hero… Deep in stoppage time the 20 year-old picked up the ball on right side of the penalty area, moved the ball onto his left foot and curled a spectacular shot into the top left hand corner of the net. A goal worthy of an historic achievement.

“I always remember my father’s words: ‘If you do not shoot, you will never score,” said Cheng after the match. “I need to thank him, as he always encourages me to play better and to shoot more.”

Watch the match highlights here

https://youtu.be/zfRrdwyF5X0

Hong Kong Beat Afghanistan at ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers

Hong Kong resurrected their ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier campaign with an historic triumph over Afghanistan in Bulawayo. The 30-run win was the first ever victory for Hong Kong over a Test playing nation in the One Day International format.

Results in other matches now mean Hong Kong can guarantee a passage through to the Super Six stage with one win in their remaining two matches against Zimbabwe and then Nepal.

After being dismissed for just 91 against Scotland in their opening encounter, Hong Kong’s batsmen produced a much improved performance against an Afghanistan team containing the world’s top ranked bowler, Rashid Khan.

Cameos from Nizakat Khan (28) and Babar Hayat (31) got Hong Kong’s innings going but the starts meant the innings threatened to lack substance at one stage 4-93 in the 24th over.

But 20-year-old Anshuman Rath showed great determination to hold the innings together as he compiled 65 off 90 balls from number five in the order. That allowed the lower order to chip in around him but it was the final overs assault from Tanwir Afzal (22 off 9 balls) who lifted the Hong Kong target to a more imposing mark of 241-8.

In reply it was Tanwir (1-37) who gave Hong Kong the early breakthrough but at 56-1 Afghanistan were trundling along steadily in pursuit of 242 when Ehsan was brought on from the clubhouse end in the 16th over. With loop and flight, he tempted Rahmat Shah into an expansive drive. With dip and turn, he spun the ball sharply in between bat and pad to disturb the stumps. With that, Afghanistan were 56 for 2, and Hong Kong had their opening. Before his first over was up, Ehsan had also dismissed the set Ihsanullah for 20, a gloved sweep landing in the hands of Rath, tumbling to his left at slip.

The pressure built up by the bowlers brought desperate strokes and with the required rate closing in on six an over, Samiullah Shenwari bent low to sweep Ehsan but missed the ball entirely to be bowled for 9, as Afghanistan slipped to 73 for 4.

From there Hong Kong continued to keep the scoreboard pressure on and the climbing rate brought more wickets when rain intervened at 7-167. Play did resume but Afghanistan only had 18 balls to chase a revised target 226.

Eshan later picked up a fourth wicket as Afghanistan were held to 195-9 and for his career best figures of 4 for 33, Ehsan was named Man of the Match.

Hong Kong coach Simon Cook said “We sat down after the Scotland game an had an honest chat and the players got together as a group and talked about what they needed to do to beat Afghanistan. Each individual identified how they were going to play and what impact they wanted to have and executed that in training yesterday. The pitch spun a lot and so it’s a credit to how our guys nullified their spin options. We trained with purpose and got results.”

“240 was about par, however the pitch – spun quickly and a lot so it was a challenge for anyone going out there. We learnt from the experience of playing Rashid in Hong Kong in November and it was hugely pleasing to see the improvement.” Cook continued “We had a World T20 victory against Bangladesh which stands out as our biggest – today was great but it is only one game in a tournament that means so much so we will enjoy it tonight and then refocus quickly for Zimbabwe.”

Additional reporting and images: HK Cricket

Japan Host Hong Kong in Second East Asia Cup

In rugby league Japan will host Hong Kong in the second East Asia Cup on 16 June in Tokyo as both teams prepare for this year’s Emerging Nations World Championships.

Hong Kong narrowly lost to Japan in inaugural East Asia Cup last November at King’s Park. The match, which was also Hong Kong’s international rugby league debut, saw Japan build up a solid 24-0 lead before Hong Kong came storming back in the second half, only to fall just short in a 24-22 loss.

The fixture will be another milestone in a busy year for HKRL which kick’s off with the fourth HKRL 9s on 27 May at King’s Park. Followed by the return of HKRL’s domestic club competition the Super League. All roads though lead to Sydney where Hong Kong will participate at the Emerging Nations World Championships.

The ENWC tournament is aimed at boosting the development of the game globally, and will see Tier 2 and 3 rugby league nations compete in a two week tournament. The reach and diversity of those participating reflects of the growth of rugby league around the world with Canada, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Latvia, Malta, Niue, Philippines, Thailand and Vanuatu all confirmed.

Hong Kong Rugby League Nines
Date: 27 May, 2018
Venue: Kings Park
Tickets: Free
More info: http://hongkongrugbyleague.com

Super Rugby Live in Hong Kong

Hong Kong will stage its first Super Rugby match on 19 May 2018 at Mong Kok Stadium when Japan’s Sunwolves host South Africa’s Stormers in Week 14 of the 19-week 2018 regular season.

Although the Sunwolves will be on debut in the city, the side features some familiar faces for local rugby fans with test captain and flanker Michael Leitch, scrumhalf Fumi Tanaka, hooker Shota Horie, backs Yu Tamura, Kenki Fukuoka, Akihito Yamada, Harumichi Tatekawa and sevens star Lomano Lemeki all having represented Japan here before.

“We are very much delighted to hold our first ever Super Rugby home match in Hong Kong against the Stormers on May 19th at Mong Kok Stadium,” said Mr Yuji Watase, Chief Executive Officer of the Japan Super Rugby Association.

“We are excited to engage with the Sunwolves fans in Hong Kong, which is home to one of the most populous rugby communities, and one of the biggest Japanese communities, in Asia,” added Mr Watase.

The Sunwolves enter the season under a new coach who is also familiar to local audiences in former All Black and Japan international Jamie Joseph, who coached the Highlanders in the first ever appearance of a Super Rugby squad in Hong Kong against Racing 92 in 2016, the year after taking the Highlanders to the Super Rugby championship.

DHL Stormers captain Siya Kolinisi
The Stormers Hong Kong debut will mark the second visit of a South African Super Rugby franchise to the city in 2018, after Cell C Sharks beat Racing 92 in the Natixis Cup earlier this month.

The Stormers reached the quarter-finals of last season’s competition, bowing out following a 17-11 loss to The Chiefs at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town.

A host of senior players have signed contract extensions with Western Province Rugby, the provincial union behind the Stormers, including the Springbok trio of captain Siya Kolisi, Damian de Allende and Steven Kitshoff. Springboks Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit are also currently under contract.

The Stormers draw one of the strongest annual attendances in Super Rugby and HongKongers will have their opportunity to see why at the 6,000-seat Mong Kok Stadium.

Stormers Head Coach Robbie Fleck said that his team is looking forward to the experience of playing in front of a Hong Kong crowd. “This is another first for the Stormers and something that all of the players and management are really looking forward to. Our matches against the Sunwolves in Singapore have been tough encounters, so we know that we are in for a real test once again.”

Western Province Rugby Group CEO, Paul Zacks, said that it is particularly exciting to take the Stormers brand to yet another new territory. “In the last two seasons we have taken the Stormers to both Singapore and Argentina for the first time, so we are really looking forward to connecting with our supporters in Hong Kong in 2018.

“The Faithful can be found all over the world and I am sure we will get great support in Hong Kong as well,” said Zacks.

It will be a meeting of familiar rivals, after the two clubs were grouped in last season’s Africa 1 conference, with Stormers finishing top of the conference log. They swept the series beating Sunwolves 44-31 in Tokyo in week 5 and inflicting a heavier loss, 52-15, on the visitors at Newlands in week 16.

After a re-structuring of the competition in the close season, the Stormers are playing in the South African Conference alongside the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Jaguares, while the Sunwolves are in the Australian Conference with the Brumbies, Rebels, Reds and the Waratahs.

The Sunwolves will open their campaign against the Brumbies in Tokyo on 24 February, while the Stormers got their season off to a winning start with a 28-20 victory over the Jaguares on 17 February.

The match in Hong Kong will shorten the travel distance for the Sunwolves and becomes one of the three Super Rugby host matches they play each year away from Tokyo’s famed Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium.

“SANZAAR is excited by the staging of the Sunwolves versus Stormers match in Hong Kong in May as it sees Super Rugby enter yet another new territory. The profile of rugby in Asia has been elevated with the introduction of the Sunwolves into Super Rugby with matches already being played in Tokyo and Singapore, and we welcome this opportunity to promote the tournament and the game in China,” said Mr Andy Marinos, Chief Executive Officer of SANZAAR, the body that operates Super Rugby and The Rugby Championship competitions.

T20 Blitz @ Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground – 11 February, 2018

The T20 Blitz started cool, but by Sunday afternoon as action heated up and the powerful finalists duked it out, even the sun had popped out to take a look at the scintillating batting of Kumar Sangakkara and Nizakat Khan. The legendary Sri Lankan thrilled the crowd with his hitting through the tournament, but it was Hong Kong batsman – denied a hundred when stunning caught on the boundary – who starred in the final.

Click on any photo, or here, for the full gallery of images.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/T20-Blitz-Tin-Kwong-Road-Recreation-Ground-11-February-2018/i-BLL6tGq

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Hung Hom Jaguars Win T20 Blitz

In a final that enshrined all of the best aspects of what has been an incredible tournament Hung Hom Jaguars gained revenge for their group-stage loss to Galaxy Gladiators Lantau, with Hong Kong stars Nizakat Khan and Kinchit Shah playing crucial roles, and Khan being rewarded with the man of the match trophy.

These two teams put on 450 runs between them on Friday, but in the final a score of 200/7 proved enough for the Jaguars to defend, as the Gladiators fell 6 runs short, despite the incredible efforts of captain and player of the tournament Kumar Sangakkara (76 from 47).

As has been the case throughout the week the Jaguars, captained by Shah, were able to rely on all of their overseas stars to chip in with valuable contributions when it really mattered.  Daren Sammy helped Shah to marshal his bowlers in the second half of the Gladiators chase, and it was Sammy himself who took responsibility for ensuring the Jaguars put on such an imposing total after Imran Arif had removed the well-set pair of Khan (93 from 52) and Johan Botha (36 from 22) with consecutive deliveries.

Khan had played impeccably at the top of the order and although Shah (9) and Riki Wessels (5) fell cheaply Sammy smashed a quick-fire 21 from 15 deliveries to set up the victory score, before falling late on to the bowling of Hong Kong youngster Arsham Mohammad.  Sammy’s wicket was the 18-year-old’s 10th of the competition, as he finished as the leading wicket-taker.

For a long time it seemed as though the Gladiators were in control of the chase, and whilst tournament top-scorer and player of the tournament Sangakkara remained at the crease the Gladiators were favourites.

Sagakkara had survived an excellent early examination from another young Hong Kong paceman Kyle Christie, only playing in the tournament after answering a call for players via Facebook.   However, by the end of the powerplay Sangakkara was well in to his stride and looked set to follow up his two previous innings of 92 and 94* by setting up victory in the final.  Gladiators were certainly right up with the rate to the point of losing their second wicket, Cameron Delport falling for just 6, as they reached 120/2 at the end of the 12thover.

During the next two overs – Botha’s last and Sammy’s first – only 13 runs were scored. With the run-rate climbing rapidly the pressure on Sangakkara was mounting and off the fourth delivery of the 15th over he mis-cued a Shah delivery right down Sammy’s throat, as he aimed to smash the 8th maximum of his innings.  With Sangakkara back in the sheds, it seemed for all the world that the contest was over, but the Kiwi pairing of Anton Devcich and James Franklin were not prepared to die wondering.

After Jade Dernbach fell to Sammy for just one, Devcich and Franklin went on the attack in the 18th over, smashing Christie for 21 and leaving Gladiators requiring only 31 from the final two overs.

Ordinarily, on a ground with relatively short boundaries, 31 might have seemed eminently achievable from 12 balls.  However, those deliveries were due to be bowled by last week’s Big Bash League winner Ben Laughlin and the main man himself, Sammy.

Laughlin used all of his experience to restrict the Gladiators to just 9 off the 19th over, and after Sammy only conceded two singles from the first three deliveries of the final over, the game and the tournament was effectively done and dusted.

Before the match the Blitz Tournament Director Max Abbott had told me all he wanted was a close finish.  Well, he certainly got his wish, as both teams put on the sort of spectacle that the tournament deserved, and it was fitting that the Jaguars team – so well balanced between global superstars and emerging Hong Kong-based starlets – emerged as champions.

Congratulations Jaguars!  No doubt the party will be long and loud tonight!

Additional reporting and images: HK Cricket

Roller Derby @ Victoria Park – 27 January, 2018

The ladies of the Hong Kong Roller Derby took on the Pan-Asian Spring Rollers at the Victoria Park Roller Rink. bc was there to capture the action even if, in truth, we didn’t quite understand all the rules.

A good time was had by all as the Pan-Asian Spring Rollers with a late surge snatched victory. Despite the heavy padding there’ll be some sore bodies today as the action is fast and furious.

If you’re interested to participate, then check out www.hongkongrollerderby.com. Click on any photo for the full gallery of images.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Roller-Derby-Victoria-Park-27-January-2017/i-KmT7DzF

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Hong Kong Win HK-Guangdong Cup 4-2 on Penalties

Tse Long-hin scored the crucial penalty as Hong Kong won the 40th Hong Kong-Guangdong Cup 4-2 on penalties. After winning the first leg 2-0 at the HK Stadium on the 4 January, Hong Kong lost the second leg away as Guangdong reversed the score at home as they triumphed 2-0 in Guangzhou.

https://www.facebook.com/hkleague/videos/1796631947013745/

With the match all square after normal time goalkeeper Douglas Yuen Ho-chun – who made several fine saves during the game – was the star in the penalty shoot-out saving twice as Hong Kong won 4-2 and regained the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup for the first time in five years.

“The boys performed really well under the circumstances,” said interim Hong Kong coach Kenneth Kwok Ka-lok. “We are a young side and some of the players were suffering from injuries and even illness so that made it more difficult. But we had fire in our bellies and we handled the pressure, even in the penalty shootout where we held our own. We rose to the occasion. It wasn’t an easy thing to do.”