Hong Kong chief secretary hopes city’s football team has ‘wonderful game’ tonight in its highly anticipated match versus China
Leung Chun-ying, in contrast, demurred when asked which side he would support, calling it a ‘pity’ he would miss the game while in Manila for APEC
Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor this morning offered her backing to the Hong Kong football team which will come face-to-face with China in a highly anticipated World Cup qualifying match tonight, in contrast to the city’s chief executive who sidestepped the question of whom he would support.
“Of course I will support the Hong Kong team to play a wonderful game tonight,” said Lam, who is the city’s acting chief executive today as Leung Chun-ying attends APEC in Manila. She gave her response on being asked which team she would support in the head-to-head confrontation.
She believed the players of the city’s team and national team would give their all to play a brilliant match to citizens with mutual respect.
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Lam’s candid remarks stood in sharp contrast to those of Leung, who apparently ducked the same question on Monday night before boarding on the flight to the Philippines.
“It’s a pity that in Manila ... we could not watch the game,” he said.
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Lam called on Hongkongers watching the game inside and outside the stadium to be restrained, respect the match and not carry out any uncivilised acts.
