Hong Kong internationals Festus Baise and Jean Kilama help fire Tianjin and Guizhou into big-money Chinese Super League
Fabio Cannavaro-coached Tianjin win championship as three clubs win their final fixtures of China League One with Hong Kong players helping their teams gain promotion to the top flight
Hong Kong international players played a key role in a gripping promotion battle to the big-money Chinese Super League at the weekend, with Tianjin Quanjian and Guizhou Zhicheng ultimately earning promotion to the top flight at the expense of Qingdao Huanghai.
The final fixtures in China League One saw the three clubs – which all have Hong Kong players in their side – win their respective matches to finish level on 59 points but Qingdao were eliminated from the race to win promotion to the China Super League.
Tianjin, who thrashed visitors Meizhou Kejia 3-0, won the League One trophy with a better head to head record among the top three during the season. Guizhou beat home side Xinjiang Tianshan 2-1 while Qingdao scored a 3-1 away win over Dalian Yifang with Hong Kong international Godfred Karikari making one goal assist.
“I think the arrival of [head coach and former Italy international] Fabio Cannavaro in mid-season made the difference,” said Tianjin central defender Ng Wai-chiu, a former Hong Kong international.
“It was his personality, charisma and the ability of uniting the players that contributed to our eventual success. It’s a big day for the club.”
Big spenders Tianjin were considered hot favourites at the beginning of the season. Hong Kong international Jean Kilama, a naturalised player, joined the Northern China club on a reported monthly salary US$40,000. Ng said the club management offered a winning bonus of RMB 6 million for the team in each of their last six matches.