Hong Kong can cause ‘sensation’ at Asian Cup, Andersen says – with vital caveat

Jorn Andersen has challenged Hong Kong’s footballers to cause “a sensation” at January’s AFC Asian Cup, insisting they can shock a more fancied team – provided they start converting the goalscoring chances they create.

Head coach Andersen said on Saturday he has his sights set on the knockout phase at the continental finals in Qatar, and wants his players to show him they can deliver it.

That quest will continue on Monday, when he is set to unleash both of the newly eligible Michael Udebuluzor and Everton Camargo in attack in the friendly at home to Brunei. For Andersen, it will be another stepping stone.

“If we have one victory in Qatar, we can maybe go to the next stage,” he said. “That would be a sensation for Hong Kong. And if we make good on the chances we are creating in matches, sooner or later we can beat a big one.”

The message for those aspiring to be part of it was clear.

“I always tell the team, I have a box of 50 players in my head and from those I have to choose 23 for Qatar,” Andersen said. “It is up to them, in every training session and match, to show me, ‘I want to go to Qatar.’”

But Andersen was still smarting over his side’s inability to convert a string of other chances, and spoke uninterrupted for 12 minutes, 39 seconds at the beginning of his press conference, rueing missed opportunities, injuries and refereeing decisions.

He did underline his faith in the potential of 19-year-old Udebuluzor, who received his Hong Kong passport last week, as he plans for a must-win World Cup play-off against Bhutan next month.

The Norwegian was frustrated by a lack of high-calibre friendly opposition this autumn, saying Saudi Arabia and prominent European and African nations had been discussed – only for plans to be shelved when Hong Kong were forced into the play-off with Bhutan by Sri Lanka’s return to Fifa competition.

“We are the second-lowest-ranked team in the [Asian Cup] and said last year we had to improve,” he said. “That doesn’t happen by playing teams from Taiwan or Macau. We wanted to play better teams, to improve and prepare for what is coming in Qatar.

“Results are the second thing right now. I understand why people look at the matches without a win, but we are still Hong Kong, 149 in the world, not Argentina or Brazil, who have to win every game.”

Hong Kong’s group in Qatar contains Iran, UAE and Palestine, with the four best third-placed teams to join the top two in the knockout stage. Andersen has earmarked the closing fixture with Palestine – ranked 96th by Fifa – as “the most important”, being the smallest mountain to climb.

In the immediate term, Andersen is planning a host of personnel changes for the game against Brunei at Hong Kong Stadium. He said there was a “big chance” that Udebuluzor and Camargo would unite in attack.

Hong Kong-born Udebuluzor has eight goals in eight matches for Ingolstadt II in Germany this season, and after a protracted naturalisation process was adamant he felt no external pressure to supply the goals Andersen’s team need.

“I don’t feel pressure from other people,” Udebuluzor said. “If you don’t score goals, you are not a striker.

“Playing for Hong Kong and under this coach will improve me. I am going to enjoy it and do my job. I love Hong Kong and to be part of the team is a nice feeling.”