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Lionel Messi distraction is over for Hong Kong’s footballers as they return to action in Guangzhou – with player flown in from UK
- Three days after their minor roles in the Inter Miami circus, several players are to turn out for the city in Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup second leg
- Hong Kong pick Ellison Tsang despite him quitting the city for the UK when he found local pay was ‘insufficient to continue playing here’
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As a Lionel Messi-shaped storm engulfed Hong Kong, the local players caught up in Sunday’s calamity were poised for a swift return to competitive action in Guangzhou on Wednesday.
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Seven players who featured in the doomed exhibition match against Inter Miami, when enraged fans demanded refunds after Messi did not play, are in Jorn Andersen’s squad for the second leg of the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup.
Also involved is Ellison Tsang Yi-hang, who played his first football since last year’s Asian Games when Hong Kong won the opening match 2-0 at a euphoric Mong Kok Stadium last Wednesday.
Defender Tsang moved to England to study straight after his stellar contribution to the under-23s’ run to the Asiad semi-finals in Hangzhou.
Head coach Andersen has lamented a footballing infrastructure in the city that does not encourage young talent to stick around.
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