Hong Kong go down to Iran defeat in opening World Cup qualifier

Hong Kong were beaten 4-0 by Iran in their opening World Cup qualifier, although two late goals flattered a home team that was frustrated for long periods by Jorn Andersen’s cussed side.

Hongkongers of a pessimistic disposition would have feared the worst when Sardar Azmoun struck a quickfire double to leave their national team staring at a two-goal deficit after only 15 minutes.

But Andersen’s disciplined side, missing a host of key figures, stemmed the bleeding, albeit the hosts’ backline was able to operate in second gear, ahead of a difficult assignment in Uzbekistan next Tuesday.

Iran passed up a handful of second-half chances, but Mehdi Taremi scored with three minutes remaining, and, somewhat cruelly, Ramin Rezaeian added a fourth two minutes into stoppage time.

Andersen arrived in Tehran without gun forward Everton Camargo, and fellow Brazil-born players Helio Goncalves and Fernando. He threw Iran a dummy, sending out Shinichi Chan for pre-match press conference duties, before leaving the versatile Kitchee left-footer on the bench. There was a substitute’s brief for Michael Udebuluzor, too. The teenage striker has been plagued by hamstring issues, and there was a case for reserving him for Tuesday’s winnable home fixture with Turkmenistan.

Andersen was not finished there with his selection surprises. Li Ngai-hoi, typically a centre-half, began the game at left-back, and we potentially saw the first sign of a changing of the guard in goal, with 24-year-old Tse Ka-wing preferred to 87-cap veteran Yapp Hung-fai.

Poon Pui-hin, 23, and the 32-year-old Southern attacker Mahama Awal made their first competitive international starts, either side of Matt Orr in a three-pronged attack. There was a debut in midfield for the combative Lam Hin-ting, brought in to ruffle Iranian feathers. Of the starting XI, five featured in the under-23s’ Asian Games semi-final campaign.

If Andersen was not quite rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic, though, he must have felt like Sisyphus, shoving his boulder up an almighty hill. Iran are 129 places above Hong Kong in Fifa’s global rankings, and the source of their opening two goals underlined the gulf between the teams.

Azmoun is on loan at Roma from Bayer Leverkusen, and swept low past Tse after 12 minutes, following a precise cross from Mohammad Mohebi. The forward was at it again soon after, converting after being teed up by prolific Porto striker Taremi.

With the floodgates threatening to open, Hong Kong battened down the hatches, closing and hassling and generally frustrating Iran. Yue Tze-nam’s tackle to halt Mohebi in the penalty box, late in the opening half, epitomised the visitors’ tenacity.

Andersen’s side did not remotely trouble Alireza Beiranvand in Iran’s goal, however, despite the head coach slinging on Chan, Law Tsz-chun and Philip Chan Siu-kwan after 64 minutes.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh lashed over from a good position, and Azmoun inexplicably steered wide with the goal at his mercy, either side of the away team’s changes.

Hong Kong were frustrating Iran, nevertheless, and a two-goal margin would have fairly reflected the contest, given the West Asians’ inability to build up a head of steam against their well-drilled opponents.

But, with three minutes remaining, Azmoun returned Taremi’s favour, inviting the 31-year-old to score his 40th international goal. Right-back Rezaeian added a fourth shortly before full-time.

In the other Group E fixture, Uzbekistan recovered from conceding after 44 minutes, to score three unanswered second-half goals and beat Turkmenistan 3-1 in Ashgabat.

Hong Kong face Turkmenistan in So Kon Po on Tuesday, when Iran visit Uzbekistan.

Elsewhere in Asian World Cup qualifying, China came from behind to beat Thailand 2-1 in Bangkok, and ease the pressure on under-fire head coach Aleksandar Jankovic.