Photo credit: HKFA
As the curtains fall on Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year Cup, fans in attendance can truly appreciate the spectacular show of football they witnessed on Thursday night.
But more importantly, the match was an explicit reminder of the existing social animosity between China and Hong Kong.
Although a highly passionate and contested affair, China’s Shandong Luneng ran out winners against Japan’s Sagan Tosu - defeating them 3-1. Both teams displayed a burning desire to get their hands on a pre-season trophy which resulted in numerous confrontations and the sending off of Shandong’s Cui Peng.
Despite a majority of the stadium disappointed with the end result, it’s fair to say that every fan got their money’s worth. The Lunar New Year Cup’s most recognisable stars: Fernando Torres and Graziano Pelle both got on the score sheet
Photo credit: HKFA
The final’s fine sporting entertainment was matched by the atmosphere largely thanks to Sagan Tosu’s travelling fans, with the persistent pounding of their drums and boisterous chants keeping things lively throughout.
However, the locals’ distaste towards China’s Shandong Luneng was palpable for the duration of the match. The team was greeted with boos whenever they had the ball, with goalkeeper Wang Dalei the main target of their ire.
Even after the final whistle, the hostile environment remained. Dalei managed to get hold of a Chinese flag, flaunting it in front of the Hong Kong attendees - an act that was met with jeers and obscene gestures.
While 21, 643 fans viewed the final unfold, only a couple hundred bothered to watch Shandong Luneng lift the trophy.