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From Lionel Messi fiasco to penalty shoot-out agony for Hong Kong – but key stars skip Guangzhou tie

  • Players who faced Inter Miami and starred in Asian Cup lose their Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup second leg after coach Jorn Andersen forced to pick makeshift team
  • Guangdong draw level on aggregate in mainland China, then win shoot-out, scoring all four of their spot kicks and finishing with a ‘Panenka’

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Jesse Yu (right) was unavailable for the mainland leg after orchestrating Hong Kong’s first-leg win. Photo: Elson Li

A makeshift Hong Kong team suffered penalty shoot-out disappointment against a Guangdong XI last night, after their two-goal first-leg advantage was wiped out inside 67 minutes at a sodden Yuexiushan Stadium in Guangzhou.

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Guangdong scored all four of their kicks, following a 3-1 victory on the night, and finished with a flourish when Liao Junjian floated a fabulous “Panenka” kick into the middle of the goal to win the 42nd edition of the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup.

Paco Chan Hoi-pak smacked the post with Hong Kong’s first penalty, and after 17-year-old Eastern forward Ng Yu-hei nervelessly found the bottom corner, Guangdong keeper Cheng Yuelei saved Yip Cheuk-man’s effort.

Hong Kong will rue their failure to add to the two goals they scored at a rocking Mong Kok Stadium last week, as much as anything that happened last night.

Hong Kong were too good for Guangdong last week but could not capitalise on their advantage. Photo: Elson Li
Hong Kong were too good for Guangdong last week but could not capitalise on their advantage. Photo: Elson Li

Guangdong looked shell-shocked in the face of Hong Kong’s pace, hunger and aggression in the opening match.

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