DOHA: Hong Kong’s first Asian Cup match in over 55 years ended in a 3-1 defeat to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, the returning minnows on the wrong end of three big VAR calls in Qatar.
Two of the UAE’s goals came from VAR-ruled penalties, while a late Hong Kong goal was chalked off after the referee checked the screen.
Coach Jorn Andersen warned his players before the game that the “gap is very big” between themselves and the continent’s footballing elite.
But there was no yawning gulf in class as the tournament’s lowest-ranked side kicked off their campaign.
In their first Asian Cup match since 1968, Hong Kong fell behind just after the half-hour mark.
Referee Muhammad Taqi was called to the pitch-side screen to rule on a possible handball in the box by Hong Kong defender Oliver Gerbig.
After a lengthy check, a penalty was given and duly converted by Sultan Adil.
Hong Kong levelled four minutes after the break, Philip Chan bundling home an Everton Camargo cross.
The UAE regained the lead almost instantly through Zayed Sultan as he slotted into an unguarded net.
With half an hour left, Andersen rolled the dice with an attacking double substitution, sending on forward Stefan Pereira and Michael Udebuluzor.
Hong Kong defender Li Ngai-hoi then survived another VAR scare, his tackle in the box ruled legal.
As the clock ticked down Hong Kong pushed for a second equalizer, their chances helped by the addition of 10 minutes’ stoppage time.
But after a third VAR check against them, the referee pointed once again to the spot and Yahya Al-Ghassani converted.
Hong Kong had the ball in the net one last time, but VAR intervened to deny them.
Group C also contains Palestine and Iran, who play in Sunday’s late game.
VAR calls help UAE spoil Hong Kong’s Asian Cup return
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VAR calls help UAE spoil Hong Kong’s Asian Cup return
- Game ended in a 3-1 defeat to the United Arab Emirates
CONCACAF says it will have 6 automatic berths for 2030 World Cup
- CONCACAF said Friday that qualifying will start in September 2027 with its teams ranked 14th through 35th playing a home-and-home, total-goals first round
- The top two teams in each group advance to a 12-nation final round
MIAMI: The governing body for North and Central American and Caribbean soccer says it will have six automatic qualifying spots in the 2030 World Cup and a seventh will be available as part of an intercontinental playoff.
CONCACAF made its announcement Friday, although FIFA does not appear to have announced each confederation’s allocation of berths and the president of the South American confederation CONMEBOL has proposed expanding the tournament yet again to 64 nations.
FIFA’s media office said in an email it was looking into whether confederations’ allocation had been decided.
CONCACAF said Friday that qualifying will start in September 2027 with its teams ranked 14th through 35th playing a home-and-home, total-goals first round.
The 11 winners will advance to the second round along with its top 13-ranked nations. The 24 teams will be split into six four-team groups and each nation will play six matches, in October and November 2027, and March 2028.
The top two teams in each group advance to a 12-nation final round, to be played in June 2028, and September and October 2029. There will be three final-round groups, and each nation will play six matches. The top two teams in each group will qualify for a 2030 World Cup that will be primarily in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with one game each in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
The top two third-place teams advance to a CONCACAF home-and-home, total-goals playoff in November 2029. The winner will advance to FIFA’s intercontinental playoffs.
With the expansion of the World Cup from 32 teams in 2022 to 48 this year, CONCACAF doubled its automatic berths to six. United States, Mexico and Canada received automatic spots as co-hosts, Curaçao, Haiti and Panama earned berths in qualifying.
Jamaica has a chance to earn a seventh berth next month in playoffs with New Caledonia and Congo.
CONCACAF also said its 2027 Nations League semifinals and final will be at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
