Why Hong Kong needed ‘home truths’ during Asian Cup clash in Singapore
Bold changes made by Hong Kong boss Ashley Westwood brought big improvement at Singapore National Stadium
Hong Kong head coach Ashley Westwood has said he dished out “a few home truths” at half-time of his side’s AFC Asian Cup qualifying stalemate in Singapore.
The visitors toiled during an uninspiring opening 45 minutes on Tuesday night and had a combination of goalkeeper Yapp Hung-fai and lacklustre Singapore forward play to thank for remaining level. Hong Kong also had a stroke of fortune when referee Chae Sanghyeop ruled out a second-minute strike from home defender Lionel Tan.
Westwood made the bold decision to replace midfielder Wong Wai with right-back Yue Tze-nam after 35 minutes, but said he could have withdrawn “any of six or seven” players.
Hong Kong speedily improved after the change, with previously isolated striker Matt Orr becoming increasingly influential. He smacked the bar with a 61st-minute header, following a corner from Everton Camargo, who also grew as an attacking force after the first-half rejig.
“We were poor in the first half, sluggish, I don’t know if it was the humidity, but our key players didn’t do what they normally do,” Westwood said.
“We were getting outplayed in midfield, we had three midfielders against theirs … but we didn’t get near them. I am old enough and wise enough to know something had to be changed … we were there to be beaten. It could have been six or seven of them [who came off], but [the change] gave us more stability, strength and physicality.