Misfiring Hong Kong’s goal woes continue as Vietnam start Troussier reign with a win
- Striker Matt Orr denied by goalkeeper Dang Van Lam and woodwork as Jorn Andersen’s men slip to 1-0 defeat in Haiphong
- Vietnam skipper Que Ngoc Hai scores first-half penalty to give side win in first game under new coach Philippe Troussier
Hong Kong’s scoring frustrations continued against Vietnam on Thursday, as Jorn Andersen’s side slipped to a narrow 1-0 international friendly loss in Haiphong to further extend their struggles in front of goal.
Que Ngoc Hai’s 32nd minute penalty earned the hosts victory in front of 19,689 fans at Lach Tray Stadium, and the result means Hong Kong have scored in only two of their nine games since securing their place at the Asian Cup finals last June with a 3-0 win over Cambodia in India.
The most recent strike was an own goal scored by Singapore’s Lionel Tan in a 1-1 draw in March, but there were encouraging signs for Andersen and his team against a Vietnam side boasting many of the players that guided their nation to the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup in 2019.
Hong Kong twice hit the wood work in the opening 45 minutes, with Matt Orr going closest to breaking the drought midway through the first half, as Andersen’s side put on an encouraging display against an opposition playing their first game under new coach Philippe Troussier.
Chinese Super League-based defenders Vas Nunez and Yue Tze-nam were named among the Hong Kong substitutes having both complained of hamstring issues after arriving in Vietnam, and Andersen handed a start to Leung Nok-hang alongside Helio Goncalves.
A party atmosphere greeted the opening whistle as the home fans celebrated a rare visit to the country’s third largest city by the national team and, buoyed by that euphoria, the Golden Stars started positively.
