logo
Holders United out of FA Cup, Chile, Kenya win sevens stop, snooker matches made in heaven

Holders United out of FA Cup, Chile, Kenya win sevens stop, snooker matches made in heaven

There's a busy week of sport ahead in Hong Kong, with snooker's World Grand Prix bringing the best players, minus Ronnie O'Sullivan, to Kai Tak Arena, while some of golf's global stars return with LIV for a second year running.
Advertisement
March generally is going to leave sports fans in the city spoiled for choice ahead of the annual bacchanal that is the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens.
Not that there wasn't plenty happening overnight either, so, here's a look backwards and forwards to start your week.
Holders United out
Fulham will host London rivals Crystal Palace in the FA Cup quarter-finals after knocking out holders Manchester United on penalties. The Cottagers won the shoot-out 4-3 at Old Trafford after Sunday's fifth-round tie had ended 1-1 following extra time.
Chile's Antonio Corbella catches a high ball during his side's HSBC Sevens Challenger final against Canada in Cape Town. Photo: World Rugby
Championship club Preston, the lowest ranked side left in the competition, will be at home to Aston Villa while Premier League champions Manchester City head to Bournemouth.
Brighton, having beaten Newcastle United 2-1 after extra time at St James' Park on Sunday, will take on either Nottingham Forest or Ipswich, who play on Monday night.
Happily for the pubs and clubs of Wan Chai and Lan Kwai Fong, the quarter-final ties will take place across the final weekend of March, just in case anyone attending the Sevens needs an excuse to stay out later.
Matches made in heaven
Snooker fans in Hong Kong are not going to know what to do with themselves this week – kids in a candy store does not even cover it.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Grealish left out of Man City squad for Club World Cup
Grealish left out of Man City squad for Club World Cup

RTHK

time6 hours ago

  • RTHK

Grealish left out of Man City squad for Club World Cup

Grealish left out of Man City squad for Club World Cup Grealish was not among the 27 players named from a possible 35 for City. File photo: Reuters Jack Grealish's future at Manchester City was plunged into further doubt after the England international was left out of Pep Guardiola's squad for the Club World Cup. Despite City naming just 27 players from a possible 35 for the tournament beginning in the United States on June 14, Grealish was omitted alongside former captain Kyle Walker. All four of the club's new signings this week – Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki, Tijani Reijnders and Marcus Bettinelli – are included. Ballon d'Or winner Rodri is also selected after making his comeback from a long-term knee injury just before the end of the Premier League season. Grealish, who remains City's record signing after a US$135 million move from Aston Villa in 2021, has fallen down the pecking order over the past two seasons. He made just seven Premier League starts in the 2024/25 campaign and was notably not summoned from the bench as City went down to a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final last month. The 29-year-old still has two years left to run on his City contract and his reported US$405,000 wages are a barrier to finding a potential suitor. Guardiola threatened last month he could leave the club if the size of his squad is not cut before the new season begins. Grealish is just one of a number of expected exits, along with Walker. The 35-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at AC Milan, but the Italian giants have not taken up an option to buy. City begin their Club World Cup campaign against Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia next Wednesday before facing further group games against Al Ain of Abu Dhabi and Juventus. (AFP)

Fernandes confirms rejection of Saudi move
Fernandes confirms rejection of Saudi move

RTHK

time03-06-2025

  • RTHK

Fernandes confirms rejection of Saudi move

Fernandes confirms rejection of Saudi move Fernandes first arrived at Manchester United in January 2020. File photo: Reuters Bruno Fernandes confirmed he rejected a huge offer from Saudi Arabia to stay at Manchester United, saying he wanted to "continue to play at the highest level". Speaking to media in a Portugal camp ahead of Wednesday's Nations League semi-final against Germany in Munich, Fernandes confirmed he received an "exciting offer" from Al Hilal but wanted to be part of Ruben Amorim's rebuild at Old Trafford. Reports said Al Hilal were willing to pay United up to US$135 million for the 30-year-old Portugal international. "The president of Al Hilal called me and asked me if I wanted to move there," Fernandes confirmed, saying the club "waited for me to think about my future". "I talked to the gaffer and he asked me not to go," Fernandes revealed. "Man United said they didn't want to sell me. They said if I wanted to go I could but they didn't need the money." The player said a transfer would have been "easy" with several Portuguese players already in Saudi Arabia, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Cancelo and Ruben Neves, but added: "I want to play at the highest possible level. "I want to play major competitions. I know I still can and I want to be happy doing the thing I love the most," he added. "For better or worse, this is how I see football and I'm passionate about football and this is the decision I've made." United endured their worst finish of the Premier League era, finishing 15th. They also lost the Europa League final to Tottenham. United captain Fernandes was one of the few players to emerge with credit from a disastrous season, scoring 19 goals and making 19 assists across all competitions. Former United captain Gary Neville, now a Sky Sports pundit, said the development was "significant". "I think that there was an element of this situation that meant United getting that level of money, for someone of Bruno's age, obviously, you couldn't say that it would have been a bad deal," he said. "But, on the other hand, Manchester United's star player – only player at times – for the last four, five, six years, has been Bruno Fernandes. He's so important." "To turn that money down at a point where Manchester United are at their lowest ebb and say, 'No, I want to fight through this, I want to see it through the other side, I want to come out and achieve things,' I think it says a lot about him as a person, as a character," Neville added. "The club needs people who are going to run through a brick wall for them." United are expected to be busy in the transfer market as Amorim reshapes his under-performing squad. The club have already signed Brazil forward Matheus Cunha from Wolves and are being heavily linked with Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo. Departures could include Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho. Fernandes has made 290 appearances and scored 98 goals for United since his move from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020. (AFP)

Eastern keeps FA Cup title on late Baffoe hat-trick
Eastern keeps FA Cup title on late Baffoe hat-trick

RTHK

time31-05-2025

  • RTHK

Eastern keeps FA Cup title on late Baffoe hat-trick

Eastern keeps FA Cup title on late Baffoe hat-trick Eastern forward Noah Baffoe scored three goals in five minutes to seal a comeback win for the club. Photo courtesy of Eastern FC's Facebook Eastern Football Club on Saturday held on to their Hong Kong FA Cup title, thanks to a brilliant hat-trick by forward Noah Baffoe late in the game. BC Rangers' Lau Chi-lok opened the scoring early in the final at Mong Kok Stadium, finding the net less than 10 minutes after the match began. But Baffoe, the 32-year-old Eastern striker who had just been crowned Hong Kong Footballer of the Year, netted three goals in five minutes from the 80th minute to secure a 3-1 comeback for Eastern. This is the club's seventh FA Cup win in its history.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store