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    • Coach Ashley Westwood ‘satisfied’ as Hong Kong’s ‘serious competitors’ pursue big ambitions
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    Coach Ashley Westwood ‘satisfied’ as Hong Kong’s ‘serious competitors’ pursue big ambitions

    Pabio Posted on

    Ashley Westwood said Hong Kong was “gaining momentum” and positioning itself as “serious contenders” to qualify for more major tournaments.

    England’s Westwood has overseen a three-match winning streak ahead of next month’s East Asian Federation (EAFF) Championship qualifying competition in Hong Kong. Additionally, wins over the Philippines and Mauritius in this month’s Fifa window secured the City team a place in pot two for the Cup qualifying draw next month’s AFC 2027 Asian Championship. Hong Kong reached the Asian Cup final this year, 56 years after its last appearance in the competition in 1968.

    The head coach, who said he wasn’t sure whether to hire a replacement of assistant coach Wolfgang Luisser following the Austrian’s resignation this week, they will have little time to prepare for the EAFF qualifiers. His team, which is to be limited to 20 players, will meet on December 6, just two days before Hong Kong’s opening match against Mongolia.

    On the positive side, Westwood’s players are getting used to their new style. The 48-year-old has torn up former boss Jorn Andersen’s playbook to introduce a nuanced, possession-focused formula. Mauritius captain Lindsay Rose, a former France Under-21 international, said he was surprised by the “level” of Westwood’s team and believed they could pursue “better goals” .

    The mood is very different from the beginning of Westwood’s reign, when he was lambasted by fans after the September loss. 1-0 defeat in Liechtenstein. After beating the Mauritians by the same score on Tuesday, his name was loudly chanted by Hong Kong supporters inside the Mong Kok stadium.
    Hong Kong fans have been won over by Ashley Westwood after three home wins. Photo: Edmond So
    Hong Kong fans have been won over by Ashley Westwood after three home wins. Photo: Edmond So

    “I don’t think I have to prove anything,” Westwood said. “I’m happy with what my team and I are doing. I’m happy with the spirit and momentum I knew we would muster.

    Pabio
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