Hong Kong boss Roberto Losada’s faith in old and young earns Chinese New Year Cup success
Jordan Lam scores winning penalty as city team overcome FC Seoul following shootout in front of 14,089 fans at Hong Kong Stadium
Roberto Losada was keeping his feet on the floor after Hong Kong beat FC Seoul 5-4 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in regulation time on Saturday, although the interim head coach acknowledged that winning the FWD Insurance Chinese New Year Cup was “a beautiful thing”.
Hong Kong led through Juninho’s first-half goal, but Patryk Klimala’s skilful 57th-minute leveller sent the game to a shoot-out.
In front of a Hong Kong Stadium crowd of 14,089, roughly 6,000 down on attendances for the previous two editions of the Cup, Jordan Lam Lok-kan held his nerve to convert the winning kick. Cho Young-wook hit the base of the left post with Seoul’s fifth effort.
Despite the outcome, Losada stuck to his prematch assertion that the result should have no influence on his claims for the permanent job. The window for applications to replace Ashley Westwood closed on Thursday.
“You should be judged on your daily work and what you can achieve in the long term,” Losada said. “One game cannot define players or a coach.
“Winning a trophy is a beautiful thing, it helps with confidence, but now we need to put our minds on the official game [next month’s Asian Cup qualifier in India].