2024 AFC U23 Asian Cup draw: Hong Kong to face Uzbekistan, Iran and Afghanistan in qualifiers
- Hong Kong drawn in demanding group, with coach Szeto Man-chiu admitting: ‘There were some weaker teams in the pots, but unfortunately we did not draw them’
- 11 group winners and four best second-placed teams will progress to finals in Qatar
Hong Kong will face three teams from the west zone in the 2024 AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers, leaving coach Szeto Man-chiu admitting their task may be “very difficult”.
At the draw, made at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, Hong Kong were drawn in group E of the qualifiers with Uzbekistan, Iran and Afghanistan.
“Whether we can make it to the finals in Qatar next year largely depends on the teams drawn from pots 2 and 4, given the pot 1 team should be on a level well above us,” Szeto said.
“Getting Iran from pot 2 and Afghanistan from pot 4 is tough. And Uzbekistan are a powerhouse in Asia.
“We do not play them very often because of most of the junior regional competitions being divided into east and west Asia. But we know they are all difficult teams from their past records. There were some weaker teams in pots 2 and 4, but unfortunately we did not draw them.”
The group matches will be played in Uzbekistan, one of 11 hosts, from September 4 to 12, with all group winners and the four best second-placed teams qualifying for the finals along with hosts Qatar. The finals will follow between April 15 and May 3 next year.
Hong Kong have never reached the finals in the five editions held since the regional junior tournament was founded in 2013.
Szeto has named a 31-member preliminary squad who will gather for a training camp at Tseung Kwan O Training Centre next week. The squad will be reduced to 23 members on completion of the camp before leaving for two friendlies against Tajikistan on June 15 and 19.
They will also play the Hong Kong senior side in a training game on June 10 before their departure for Tajikistan on June 12.
There will be further training sessions held in July and August before the team set off for the qualifiers in Uzbekistan in September.
Most of the squad members have experience of the Hong Kong Premier League, except 18-year-old forward Matthew Slattery of Kitchee and defender Leung Yau-wai, who plays for Reilca Shiga in the fourth tier of Japan’s J-League.
“We also have some players who have been picked by the senior side for the Fifa playing window in June but hopefully they can rejoin us in September’s qualifiers,” the coach said.
Players who fit the under-23 age group but have been selected by the senior side’s head coach Jorn Andersen for his Hong Kong squad are midfielder Jesse Yu Joy-yin, forward Anson Wong Ho-chun and defender Shinichi Chan, who is on loan to Real Union in Spain from Kitchee.
