Hong Kong and Iran, in footballing terms, are seemingly intertwined and tied at the hip. Out of all the Asian teams, there seems to be a cosmic sense of destiny that these two sides always have to face each other, in all forms of competitive football situations.
This unofficial HK- Iran rivalry has been especially true in the last ten years. And here we are again……….
Like two ‘boxers’ constantly challenging, sparring, analyzing and taking each other on to gain a slight edge and advantage.
Ebbs and flows.
On June 6th, the cycle will continue as Iran will visit HK stadium as they attempt to win Group E of second round Asian world cup qualifying. Unofficially, the ‘Do We Have to Play Each Other Again?’ Derby.
In this latest ‘round’, Hong Kong will be without their talismanic manager, Jørn Andersen, who has decided to end his stint in HK and move on. There are new challenges and opportunities for this seasoned pro to pursue.
Andersen took HK fans along on his team’s magical Asian Cup finals and Asian Games semi-final journeys.
The latter tournament saw HK’s young guns record a memorable 1-0 win over Iran.
Ebbs and flows.
Fans who especially made the trip to Doha will be eternally grateful for this once in a generation wonderful adventure; those long hot desert nights, where HK fans could finally glimpse what the HK team could potentially achieve when all the stars aligned.
The senior team pushed Iran all the way in Doha and just fell to a slender 1-0 defeat.
Ebbs and flows.
Iran’s last visit was during Hong Kong’s longest summer. The lead up to this visit has seen endless rain pore on Hong Kong and dark clouds, which have hindered the development of the local game, have returned.
A New Era Dawns
The interim HK manager Wolfgang Luisser and his team (Szeto Man-Chun and newly added Roberto Losada of Eastern) will look to shore up the HK team and lay the foundations of a new era and a new direction. There will be no naive illusions from HK’s management team on their immediate roles.
As the old saying goes, ‘First Impressions Count’ and strong showings against Iran and Turkmenistan will be the gauge that some success starved fans and expectant media will use.
June 6th – Groundhog Day
June 6th could be seen as Groundhog Day.
The Senior HK Men’s team are just meant to play Iran again, again, again and again until they defeat them for the first time since 1974.
Each subsequent game is a learning experience which edges them closer to that goal.
Team Melli Talk
Iran have qualified for the next round though will Team Melli rest certain members of the team?
Art Eftekhari, the host and founder of Team Melli Talk, said Iran will be going all out 100% in their quest to win the group over key rival Uzbekistan. Eftekhari said:
“Unfortunately, Amir Ghalenoei has a reputation of not trusting younger footballers. I think it’s possible to see a few new younger players getting the opportunity to play but it will not be an experimental squad. Head coach Ghalenoei will approach the match with a must-win attitude because he wants to win the group”
In their quest to win Group E, Iran’s star-studded squad are coming to HK stadium, with the likes of Sardar Azmoun (Moving from Roma back to Bayer Leverkusen or maybe Fenerbahce) and Porto’s Mehdi Taremi (Soon to join Inter Milan) likely to feature at some point against Hong Kong.
Eftekhari was in no doubt that Iran’s true talisman, in a team full of top performers, is Taremi due his style and qualities on and off the pitch.
“Without a doubt, the best and most influential footballer is Mehdi Taremi. He scores goals, can play out wide or up top as a lone striker. He scores goals and has great ball distribution skills. Taremi is also a great leader on the pitch and makes everyone around him better.”
Hong Kong pushed Iran all the way in the Asian Cup and Eftekhari was quick to praise HK’s spirited team performance and the tactical masterclass from Jørn Andersen.
“In regards to Iran’s 1-0 win over Hong Kong in the Asian Cup, I am not surprised because I think Iran approached the match thinking they would be playing the same Hong Kong squad that they easily defeated in World Cup qualifying.
I don’t think Iran was complacent. In all honesty, I think Hong Kong was more aggressive and did a great job of preparing for Iran. On that night, Iran played really poorly in the back and its midfield was sluggish. Iranian footballers and coaches suffer from inconsistency. On that night, Iran was outcoached by Jørn Andersen.”
Hong Kong versus Iran. Now an unofficial Asian derby.
June 6th is yet another chapter of this long-running rivalry. Will this be the ‘Last Dance’ between Hong Kong and Iran?
Of course not.
The two sides are forever intertwined.
The ‘Gods’ of football and perpetual destiny will somehow ensure that they will meet again, again, again and again.
Ebbs and flows.
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