Hong Kong will take on Cambodia in the FIFA ASEAN Challenge Cup final on Saturday following the completion of the group stage on Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hong Kong, China defeated Brunei Darussalam 2-0 to top Group A on maximum points while Cambodia shared a 2-2 draw with Timor-Leste which enabled them to win Group B with four points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An all-action first half almost began with a goal when high pressure by Timor-Leste saw them win possession deep in Cambodia territory. Joao Pedro dinked the ball through to Claudio Osorio, and while he beat the goalkeeper, Takaki Ose was there to clear off the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joao Pedro would be involved in a goal shortly after, the mercurial No10 rattling a superb left-footed free-kick in off the underside of the bar from just outside the area in the 17th minute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He looked to have claimed an assist just a moment later when running through and passing across goal for Tristan Arrarte, but the Timor-Leste captain was flagged offside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The game was then flipped on its head inside 10 first-half minutes. Cambodia’s Yudai Ogawa swung in a corner which was powered home in the 28th minute by a terrific Nieto header. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The No10 was then sent through 10 minutes later and was felled by a combination of Alexandre Lima and Joao Varudo. Nieto dusted himself down and coolly slotted home the resulting penalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Timor-Leste came out fighting in the second half and drew level two minutes before the hour mark. Neat interplay down the left found Arrarte who laid the ball off to Lemos who struck a stunning first-time effort with his instep into the top-left corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, Hong Kong, the co-hosts had much of the play in the first half and their relentless pressure looked to have paid off when a slack pass by Azwan Rahman was seized upon by Ng Yu Hei. He bore down on goal but was expertly repelled by Haimie Nyaring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If that was a good opportunity, Hong Kong were guilty of passing up a gilt-edged one just before the break. Matt Orr escaped down the left and sent an inviting low cross towards the back post for Juninho, but he sent the ball over from four yards out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brunei Darussalam’s task was to be made far tougher four minutes after the break, as Hanif Hamir was sent off for a studs-up challenge on Orr following a VAR review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yu Hei and Juninho both had efforts saved before the pressure eventually told on the hour mark as Chan glanced an inviting Juninho cross home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The No.16 had the ball in the net again shortly after when he flicked an effort in from just beneath the crossbar, but he was flagged offside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Orr then had two headers come back off the crossbar but eventually got his goal in stoppage time when he connected with an inch-perfect Everton Camargo cross and volleyed into the top-left corner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hong Kong will take on Cambodia in the FIFA ASEAN Challenge Cup final on Saturday following the completion<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16136,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[447,430],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asean","category-football"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t