Hong Kong fans savour Tottenham victory over Arsenal on record-breaking night
Pape Matar Sarr scored a fabulous winning goal befitting the first North London derby played outside the UK. After 45 minutes, he stole the ball from Myles Lewis-Skelly in the middle of the pitch, spied David Raya stranded out of his goal and flighted a picture-perfect 45-yard finish over the helpless keeper.
If Sarr gained points with Spurs fans for the goal, he earned a few more with his celebration in front of the Arsenal loyalists filling the North Stand.
Arsenal fans also formed the majority of the 49,975 that represented Kai Tak Stadium's biggest sporting attendance yet, beating by 271 the number who saw Hong Kong Football Festival's other match, between Liverpool and AC Milan last Saturday.
'It was an unbelievable goal, fantastic, well taken,' Thomas Frank, the Tottenham manager, said. 'All credit to Pape, he's impressed me.'
Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli tries a shot in the first half. Photo: Elson Li
While Frank reflected on a night that delivered 'the positive result and performance we wanted', opposite number Mikel Arteta set aside the defeat to 'thank [Hong Kong] for the welcome'. 'We had very clear objectives,' he said. 'To keep developing our preparation and maximising every day to get to a really high level.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
British, Japanese rivals key to Hong Kong triathlete's National Games quest
Asian under-23 triathlon champion Robin Elg has said training alongside British and Japanese rivals will help him reach his potential at China's National Games in November. Elg has overcome numerous health issues, including a worrying heart problem that was detected in 2022, to become Hong Kong's brightest young prospect. And ahead of a season-defining three months, he has set up an 'insanely good' base at altitude in Font-Romeu, alongside rivals from Great Britain including 2024 Olympic medallist Sam Dickinson, and Japan's Kenji Nener. Fellow Hongkonger Oscar Coggins joined them. 'Our last run session was the best I've had for years, because we don't have that level of competition in Hong Kong,' Elg said. 'Training at home can create tensions, because we're competing with each other. 'Being in an environment with phenomenal athletes pushes you to your best level. It's my first time training with people who are better than me and I'm going to learn a lot from these guys.' Elg in action during a 2024 Asia Triathlon Cup race in Kazakhstan. Photo: TAHKC Elg is preparing for the Asia Triathlon Championships in Istanbul this month. The 23-year-old will then target October's World Under-23 Championships.
South China Morning Post
12 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong aiming to produce world snooker champion with help of Judd Trump, Neil Robertson
Superstar duo Judd Trump and Neil Robertson have set themselves the ambitious target of producing Hong Kong's first world snooker champion. Zhao Xintong finally broke mainland China's World Championship duck this year, but Marco Fu Ka-chun's 2006 and 2016 semi-final runs have been the best of it for Hong Kong. Fu's compatriot Ng On-yee won the most recent of her three women's world titles in 2019. The former world champion pair of Trump and Robertson, who both have Hong Kong residency, co-founded the Hong Kong Billiard Sports Academy, which was officially opened on Wednesday. 'There's been a gap between Marco and On-yee, and the next talent to come through,' Trump said. 'Maybe that's because there aren't enough snooker facilities in Hong Kong that are right for children. Neil Robertson and Judd Trump (left and right in the middle) with young players at the academy. Photo: Jonathan Wong 'A lot of clubs are dingy and smoky, so it's nice to open a professional facility to practise.
South China Morning Post
12 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong aiming to produce world snooker champion with help of Judd Trump, Neil Robertson
Superstar duo Judd Trump and Neil Robertson have set themselves the ambitious target of producing Hong Kong's first world snooker champion. Advertisement Zhao Xintong finally broke mainland China's World Championship duck this year, but Marco Fu Ka-chun's 2006 and 2016 semi-final runs have been the best of it for Hong Kong. Fu's compatriot Ng On-yee won the most recent of her three women's world titles in 2019. The former world champion pair of Trump and Robertson, who both have Hong Kong residency, co-founded the Hong Kong Billiard Sports Academy, which was officially opened on Wednesday. 'There's been a gap between Marco and On-yee, and the next talent to come through,' Trump said. 'Maybe that's because there aren't enough snooker facilities in Hong Kong that are right for children. Neil Robertson and Judd Trump (left and right in the middle) with young players at the academy. Photo: Jonathan Wong 'A lot of clubs are dingy and smoky, so it's nice to open a professional facility to practise.
