Akhil Rawat
AIFF Media Team

KOWLOON, HONG KONG: On Thursday, the Indian senior men's team arrived in Hong Kong again after 16 years. While in 2009, it was a friendly game against the hosts, on June 10, 2025, the two sides will clash in a crucial 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifier.

For Manolo Márquez and his coaching staff, the first order of business after touching down in Hong Kong from Bangkok at 6 pm local time, were heading straight to the Hong Kong Stadium in So Kon Po, where the hosts were taking on Nepal in a preparatory friendly just two hours later. The game ended scoreless.

India, who lost 0-2 to Thailand in their friendly on Wednesday, will have their first training session in Hong Kong on Friday evening at the Jockey Club HKFA Football Training Centre in Tseung Kwan O.

Unsurprisingly, Sunil Chhetri is the only member of the squad who has played for the Blue Tigers in Hong Kong before. Assistant coach Mahesh Gawali, who provided an assist in India's 1-2 loss in that friendly in 2009, shared his memories of the game played after India secured a historic qualification for the AFC Asian Cup 2011, having won the AFC Challenge Cup 2008.

Hong Kong took the lead in the 70th minute before Bhaichung Bhutia equalised in the 80th, but the hosts ultimately nicked the win with an injury-time winner.

"We were trailing 0-1, and it was a very equal contest overall. The game was flowing nicely. I came on as a substitute and was playing as a left-back. We were looking for a goal. From the halfway line, I put a long ball forward, and Bhaichung finished it. But it was a pity we conceded a late goal after that," said Gawali.

"There was a good crowd at the stadium. We also had some Indian support as well, which was great to see so far from home. We were doing well under Bob Houghton at that time," added Gawali, who also played in another friendly in Hong Kong in 2006 that ended 2-2, with Syed Nayeemuddin as head coach.

After witnessing the Hong Kong-Nepal match in the very same Hong Kong Stadium, Gawali opined, "Hong Kong are an improving side. But Nepal defended very well yesterday. They were compact and did not allow them to make many chances. We won against Hong Kong in the previous qualifiers in Kolkata. But now, this team is totally different with a lot of naturalised players.

"We have to continue with the positives of the Thailand game. We created many clear chances. I think we can definitely get a positive result here. The team environment is good," said the 45-year-old.

Another member of Márquez's coaching staff, Marc Gamon, the goalkeeping coach, previously worked in Hong Kong for two years at Hong Kong Premier League side Southern District from 2018 to 2020. Gamon, who played second division football in the country, spoke about the new trend of having naturalised players in the Hong Kong national team.

"When I was working in Hong Kong, there were hardly any foreign-born players in the national team. If you are here for seven years, you can get a Hong Kong passport. So more and more foreign players want to stay in the league and get the nationality so that they can play as a local, as only six foreigners are allowed in a club here," the Spaniard explained.

"They are mostly Brazilian and Spanish players. One of the Brazilians in the current national team squad, Stefan Pereira, was at my club, Southern. A Spanish forward, Manolo Bleda from Valencia, who I played against a few years ago, got his Hong Kong passport and made his debut against Nepal yesterday," Gamon shared.

“In terms of spectator interest, horse riding is the top sport in Hong Kong, but with football being the most popular team sport, the national team receives great support,” Gamon said.

"The football culture is amazing. There aren't a lot of fans attending league games, but they come in decent numbers for the national team. They are very patriotic and shout for 90 minutes. But there are also a lot of Indians in Hong Kong, so there will be support for us too. It will be a great atmosphere on Tuesday," Gamon concluded.