There was a lot on the line going into Tuesday night’s World Cup qualifying match between China and Hong Kong: national/local pride, bragging rights to a long-standing rivalry, and a chance to progress in qualifying towards to the biggest show on earth.

The match was big news in Hong Kong, where tensions with the Mainland have boiled over in the past few years, most notably during the 79-day Occupy street protests last fall. Screens were set up around Hong Kong for people to cheer on the home team, with fans hoping the Chinese team could be knocked out of contention. And that’s basically what happened with the 0-0 draw. Now there’s only a slim path for China to qualify for the next round.

In China’s Group C division, Qatar remains in first place, and has secured a place for the next round. In order to advance, third-place China must win its next two games against the Maldives and the undefeated Qatar as well as hope other second-place teams in other Asian divisions perform poorly.

Chances also appear slim for second-place Hong Kong, but the team didn’t waver against an aggressive China in what turned out to be a tense game with several controversial moments involving disallowed goals.

In the 52nd minute, a shot from Hong Kong’s Festus Baise that wound up squarely in the Chinese goal was disallowed by the referee because he ruled teammate Paulinho had first fouled Chinese goalkeeper Wang Dalei.

Later, at the 78th minute, a header from forward Yang Xu to striker Yu Dabao resulted in a pair of shots on goal, with the second deflecting off the goal post and into the arms of Hong Kong goalkeeper Yapp Hung-fai. Despite Chinese players celebrating the shot as a goal, the referee disallowed it even though many Chinese fans thought the ball was saved after having crossed the goal line (seen above).

As contentious as these two disallowed goals may be, they paled in comparison to the real controversy of the game as Hong Kong fans loudly booed the national anthem. Hong Kong soccer fans at Mong Kok stadium were seen carrying signs and T-shirts saying “Boo”, “Support Your Own People” and “Hong Kong is Not China” as they chanted “We are Hong Kong” while holding up their middle fingers and shouting profanities against the mainland Chinese team.

The booing of the PRC anthem comes after Hong Kong fans were warned by the Hong Kong Football Association after previous booing that occurred during games with Qatar and Bhutan this past June. Although it can compete independently in the Olympics and the World Cup, Hong Kong S.A.R. is considered a part of of the People’s Republic of China, and so shares the same anthem. Future punishment could involve the Hong Kong football team playing their games without their fans present.

Many Hong Kongers considered the draw to be a win for the home team. Desperate for a win, though, Chinese soccer fans were bitterly disappointed by the draw.

A poll held by Sina revealed that half of the 18,000 respondents said they were angry with the results of the China-Hong Kong match-up, with another 27 percent saying they were disappointed. Seventy-five percent of the respondents asked for Chinese men’s soccer head coach Alan Perrin to step down.

This sentiment was taken to extremes by a fan who hacked into the Chinese Football Association’s website, leaving a note that criticized Perrin’s strategy (seen above). The hacker asked for Perrin and Chinese Football Association president Cai Zhenhua to be fired, along with Cai to be investigated by the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Commission with a “discipline inspection”.

Meanwhile, reaction to possibly yet another failed campaign to qualify for the World Cup brought out anger and disappointment from netizens:

gladyholiday:
Chinese (Men’s) Soccer Team: Last time in Shenzhen (in September), the explanation was that there was a problem with the air. This time, they’re saying that Mong Kok Stadium is too small. You say this in spite of not being out of breath and having flushed faces! What a joke! Huh… maybe we should give them an award for “most creative (explanation)”?

梅州校园新鲜事:
Steps taken by the Chinese Soccer for every competition:
1. Upon drawing lots (for upcoming games), be sure to say many bold, visionary words. 2. Off to a good start, predict a good outcome against opponent. 3. Lose the initiative. 4. Maintain suspense. 5. Citing only theorhetical possibilities, watch how the opponent reacts. 6. Completely say goodbye to the small group by getting knocked out early. 7. Find new people who will fight for the honor. 8. Switch around personnel, get ready for the following World Cup.

写给远方：
Firmly request the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection make an inspection of the Chinese Soccer League!!!

人帅腿长毛也长：
Goodbye to this era, hello 2022. Get lost Perrin, you have destroyed yourself with this game.

景俊记：
There will always be a tomorrow. Why are there so many of them?

我系万远涛：
This is the emotional rollercoaster that China always does. Once a problem arises, they transfer attention in order to muddle the feelings of any patriotic Chinese. Heehee, it’s the same trick used by the party I belong to. 

进击的南大学生：
Encourage them for what? Since I was a child, I’ve been watching the Chinese men’s soccer team for ten years now. Encourage them? It’s been fricken ten years of encouragement.

托雷斯他老婆：
Keep on trying to find excuses. No need for anymore of this ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ business. If you can’t get it done, then leave.

Chinese celebrities have offered their own take on the failed chances of China’s men’s soccer team. CCTV anchor Duan Xuan said, “These past few years, there have been a number of changes throughout China, but it seems that only in soccer that ‘time passes so quickly that its beginning and end are the same,'” and also mused that “There’s a type of love that’s called ‘letting go’.”

The rivalry between Hong Kong and China for qualifying for the World Cup has been especially fierce this year. Hong Kong goalkeeper Yapp Hung-fai alleged that he was spat upon and insulted as a “dog” by Chinese team captain Zheng Zhi during their September match in Shenzhen. And even before competition began, the Chinese Football Association courted controversy by publishing promotional posters that singled out Hong Kong for having a mixed-race team (seen above), something the China Daily looks to prolong by pointing out the Hong Kong team had “six naturalized players in the line-up” in its follow-up report on Tuesday’s game.

In 1985, Hong Kong ruined China’s chances at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico by knocking them out with a win, leading to riots outside the Workers’ Stadium in Beijing.

China’s sole appearance at the World Cup was in 2002. At that time, the country was able to capitalize on the absence of South Korea during the qualifying rounds since South Korea had already been guaranteed a spot as World Cup hosts.

Related:

• Yao Ming Rejects Soccer As The Future Of Chinese Sport
• Newspaper Blasts China’s Soccer Cheerleaders For Being Ugly
• “Hong Kong is Not China” Artwork Spreads Fast Online

The post China Shocked After Hong Kong Deals Heavy Blow to World Cup Hopes in Highly-Politicized Match appeared first on The Nanfang.

The Mainland team was heavily favored to beat Hong Kong, so the draw is seen in some quarters in Hong Kong as a victory and a loss for the Mainland. Hong Kong soccer goalie Yapp Hung-fai, who stopped all of mainland China’s 39 shots on goal, said this on Instagram: “We made it! Also, we, the Hong Kong team, intended to defend. You were mad at not winning the match and approached me to call me a dog. Asian Footballer of the Year, you have good skills, but you fail in terms of sportsmanship!”

Yapp confirmed to Hong Kong media that the “Asian Footballer of the Year” he was referring to was Zheng Zhi, captain of the mainland Chinese team. When asked by news media, Zheng responded that the incident “simply didn’t happen”:

At the time, the referee was at the scene. If I had insulted him or had displayed any untoward behavior, the referee must have have seen it.

Zheng said his team was under pressure as the match was winding down, and complained to the press that the Hong Kong soccer team was displaying unsportsmanlike behavior by trying to run out the clock:

It was clear to everyone that our opponents played defensively rather than offensively to try to run out the clock. We expected that they would play defensively, but did not think that our opponents would try to run out the clock.

Hong Kong soccer coach Kwok Ka-ming said it would be difficult to verify Yapp’s claims without an actual audio recording of the incident.

A “dog” is a mainland Chinese slur used on Hong Kong residents and has British imperialist overtones, something similar to the Hong Kong insult of “locust” used on mainland residents.

Controversy between the mainland China and Hong Kong soccer teams has erupted before. A mainland Chinese campaign promoting the match-up with the ethnically-diversive Hong Kong team drew criticism, while mainland Chinese fans were enraged when the PRC national anthem at a Hong Kong match with Bhutan was booed.

Hong Kong remains at the top of their World Cup qualifying division, and will take on undefeated Qatar on Tuesday. Hong Kong and China will play again on November 17 at Mong Kok Stadium in Hong Kong.

The post Chinese Soccer Star Calls Hong Kong Goalkeeper a “Dog” in Emotional Qualifying Match appeared first on The Nanfang.

The match was broadcast on CCTV-5, so the Hong Kong fans’ reaction was witnessed by many mainland viewers. Although mainland sporting reports made no mention of the booing, and the subject has not been very popular on Chinese social media, there have been some extreme reactions from mainland Chinese:

深圳的陆陆:
After watching the broadcast of the Hong Kong-Bhutan soccer match in which Hong Kong soccer fans intentionally hissed the (Chinese) national anthem, all I can say is: get the hell out of here! Forget it, (we mainlanders) are not going to recognize such rude offspring (as you Hong Kongers).

虚无の栤幽:
It’s already hard for me to describe this in words. Just give me a tank already.

earth000kkk:
Murder them all.

万国行:
(When the Chinese national anthem played,) the (Hong Kong) team members were solemnly standing at attention, but spectators were being rowdy. There weren’t many that sang along. What does this signify? That Hong Kongers don’t recognize China (as its country)? Possibly.

管至父:
Doesn’t Hong Kong have its own anthem? The central government is too small minded. When Scotland competes, is it prefaced by the English national anthem?

花心小衰哥丶:
What song does the Taiwan team play during the qualifying rounds for the World Cup? Is it the (same as the PRC anthem)?

管至父 (in response to above):
(They play) the anthem to the Ming Dynasty.

等你回来丶v:
We… have reached… our limits…

老衲无悔4:
Give me a tank. I can’t take it anymore.

萨内蒂爱国米:
If they’re going to boo, then let them. What can we do as the losers that we are? We’d just curse at them from behind our keyboards.

心碎的王子 (responding to above):
Isn’t it illegal to insult the national anthem in a public place?

伊不拉稀我拉稀:
Can you give me a tank?

蓝黑Interview:
Cut off the supply of water and food.

重庆重庆LIFAN:
It doesn’t matter because when the time comes, it will be a 20-0 bloodbath for the national team. Both at home and away. A massacre at Mongkok.

The Chinese Football Association had previously released a number of posters promoting the Asian qualifying rounds, which had been controversial in their own right, by describing the Hong Kong soccer team as a hodge-podge of “black skin, white skin, and yellow skin”. Some netizens considered this to be the reason why Hong Kongers booed the PRC national anthem.

Here’s what netizens had to say on this issue:

NAKACHEN:
Because the China Football Association had released a series of provocative posters, this had sparked anger in Hong Kong soccer fans. So when they play the ‘March of the Volunteer Army’ (the PRC anthem), fans hissed in retaliation.

混世球魔LZ:
This is all the fault of the Chinese FA! Those posters were beyond the pale! If these piggy team members won’t prove to be disappointing, their management sure will!

bonafantasy:
This has nothing to do with the poster. Glorious Hong Kong has always been this way!

baozi1101100:
The soccer league can’t badmouth the national anthem. The national anthem is sacred and cannot be blasphemed against! Hong Kongers notion of national pride has gotten watered down.

tcjtsw (responding to above):
It hasn’t gotten watered down. They simply don’t have any.

折翼泪:
Simply just a bunch of brainless brats.

黑郁金香_u0:
(Hong Kongers) don’t have any morals. China, Japan, and South Korean dispute with each other all the time, and yet they’ve never booed at each other’s national anthem!

hh12390的春天 (responding to above):
This is a reasonable (response). Hong Kong’s power of independence must be quickly squelched.

104五:
(Hong Kongers) always consider mainlanders to be locusts (a derogatory term implying ravenous consumption). Even if there wasn’t a poster (from the Chinese FA), they’d still boo us.

The post HK Soccer Fans Boo PRC Anthem; Mainlanders Enraged appeared first on The Nanfang.

Guangzhou has now revealed how it plans to contribute to the national goal with a new three-year plan designed to cultivate soccer skills in youngsters.

READ: China Makes Football Mandatory In Schools As It Dreams of Championships

As with school systems throughout the rest of the country, Guangzhou will make soccer classes compulsory for all students in elementary and middle schools as introduce a four to six day soccer seminar as part of the school’s curriculum every semester.

By the end of this year, soccer programs are to be set up in 300 Guangzhou schools. By 2015, 25 specially-dedicated soccer schools are to be established throughout the city. By 2016, 500 Guangzhou schools should be involved in the program, creating a total of 5,000 intra-mural soccer teams from 500 schools and involving 50,000 students. Also by 2016, 75 specially-dedicated soccer schools are to be established.

READ: China Faces a Rocky Path to Football Superiority

The new focus on soccer and physical education is a radical departure from the standard practice of rote-learning in preparation for the gaokao, the university entrance qualifying exam.

Soccer development at a grassroots level is also a move away from the recent popularity of exclusive soccer schools with high tuition fees, such as the RMB 1.2 billion ($195 million) academy operated by Guangzhou Evergrande.

While President Xi has expressed his national dream for China’s youth to be healthy, a renewed emphasis on soccer may also reflect Xi’s desire for China to qualify, host, and win the World Cup, as seen here in cartoon form.

READ: Guangzhou to Build 100 New Football Pitches by 2016

Institutionalized soccer instruction is not new to China. In the 90s, around 4,000 traditional soccer schools were closed when Chinese football’s image tanked due to a failure to win Asian titles or qualify for the World Cup.

Aside from soccer, other international spots have seen great potential in China for sports development. Professional sports associations representing football, basketball and ice hockey have all expressed interest in developing their respective sports in China.

Related:

• Nanfang TV: Guangdong’s “Football Factory” an Attempt to Make China a Football Power
• The Nanfang Talks Evergrande and Chinese Football with Renowned Blooger
• Lionel Messi Says China Needed To Make Football Truly Global

The post Guangzhou, Serious About Soccer, to Create 5,000 New Teams appeared first on The Nanfang.

Ministry of Education Director Yuan Guiren said on July 28 that the ministry plans to make football a priority in schools from now on, reported China Daily.

Nanfang TV: Guangdong’s “football factory” an attempt
to make China a football power

The Ministry of Education says it will raise the number of Chinese schools that actively focus on football from 5,000 now to an eventual 20,000 within three years.

The focus on soccer is part of a larger plan, which involves more emphasis on physical education. There will soon be four PE classes a week from the current three for elementary school students, while high schoolers will move from two to three phys-ed classes.

READ: China Faces a Rocky Path to Football Superiority

Chinese education has traditionally emphasized rote learning in preparation for the gaokao, the university entrance qualifying exam, and has not focused upon physical education. However, Yuan was adamant this needs to change, saying:

No school will be able to use any reason or excuse to take away a student’s time that should be used for physical education class.

Yuan cities President Xi’s national dream for China’s youth to be healthy, but the renewed focus on physical education may also reflect Xi’s personal dream of football glory for the motherland. Xi’s football aspirations were recently immortalized in cartoon form. However, Xi has been clear that China would first qualify, then host, and then ultimately win the World Cup.

If playing football is going to be mandatory in Chinese schools as a way to alleviate the nation’s football woes, then we imagine “winning” should be made mandatory as well.

Related:

• Lionel Messi Says China Needed To Make Football Truly Global
• The Nanfang talks Evergrande and Chinese football with renowned blogger
• Guangzhou to Build 100 New Football Pitches by 2016

Photo: China Daily, Caijing, CCTV

The post China Makes Football Mandatory In Schools As It Dreams of Championships appeared first on The Nanfang.