02-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Japanese footballer torn over Hong Kong passport decision after domestic cup success
Southern's Sapling Cup triumph on Thursday has thrust two of their Japanese-born players into the Hong Kong selection conversation, with one hoping he enhanced his chances and the other torn over his eligibility.
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Sohgo Ichikawa, who was earmarked as a future star when he played for Hong Kong under-15s as a 13-year-old in 2018, capped a fabulous individual display with the last goal in his side's astonishing 4-0 final rout of Lee Man.
Captain Shu Sasaki delivered the pinpoint cross for Ichikawa to crown an incisive counter-attack, before orchestrating the raucous celebrations after full-time.
'At Southern, we're not special players, but everyone has spirit and helps each other – everyone has Southern blood,' wide player Sasaki said.
He has been with the club for five years, after coming to Hong Kong from homeland Japan in 2018 to join Rangers. Sasaki, 34, who has also played for Pegasus, reached seven years' residence in February this year.
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He is now wrestling with the decision over whether to swap nationality by applying for a passport. 'I was born in Japan and grew up there, but Hong Kong is my second home,' Sasaki said. 'I would love to play for Hong Kong but it's not an easy decision, I'm thinking about it.'
