Hong Kong are coming off a 0-0 draw against Nepal.
The Hong Kong national team are ready to take the fight to India in the upcoming AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier between the two sides. With both teams having played out drab, goalless draws in their opening game, the incentive is high for both Hong Kong and India to get a big win in this encounter to set themselves up nicely towards the top of the group.
Hong Kong have won 7 of their 10 matches under new manager Ashley Westwood, who has mostly played with a 4-4-2 formation in recent games. However, Khel Now recently had a chat with senior Hong Kong journalist Chris KL Lau, who gave an in-depth analysis of what to expect from the Hong Kong football team. The reporter also gave a hint at what can be Hong Kong’s possible starting XI for the upcoming clash against India, as we take a look at the same here.
Goalkeeper: Yapp Hung Fai
The 35-year-old has been Hong Kong’s mainstay goalkeeper for the last decade and has made over 100 appearances for them. He has firmly kept his starting role under Westwood, managing to keep four clean sheets in the last five matches under him. The Eastern FC goalkeeper is a reliable and sharp figure in goal, having enough swift reflexes and reaction timing to make clutch saves. He is set to start in goal against India.
Right Centre-Back: Leon Jones
The Kitchee FC defender has become an impotant member of the Hong Kong national team with recent performances. He’s a proactive defender who can be crucial in winning duels and making key clearances in the defensive side. Jones has made 11 appearances for the Hong Kong football team and also impresses in getting the ball forward with his varied passing range.
Centre-Back: Oliver Gerbig
Oliver Gerbig has raised his reputation by impressing for Chinese Super League side Henan FC. He helped them keep a clean sheet in five Chinese Super League games in 2025 and has become a sturdy figure in Hong Kong backline too.
Gerbig has helped his national team keep four clean sheets in the last five games and even picked up an assist in the same period. He will be looking to maintain a sturdy defensive line and frustrate the Indian forwards by closing down the spaces quickly.
Left Centre-Back: Yue Tze Nam
Yue Tze Nam has also impressed in the Chinese Super League for MZ Hakka FC, managing two assists in 12 games so far in 2025. He has become quite the trusted player under Ashley Westwood with his energetic presence and diligent defensive qualities. The 27-year-old will be playing a key role in neutralising India’s movement down the wide areas and stop them from creating major chances through those positions.
Right Wingback: Sung Ming Him
Sung Ming Him has fit into Ashley Westwood’s system really well in the Hong Kong National team set-up, managing two assists in the last five appearances. The wing-back boasts a lot of speed with his work in the wide areas, being able to carry the ball into the key areas with ease. He’s also got a creative crossing ability, being able to find his teammates in the empty spaces. He’ll look to do just that to put India under pressure and creative big chances to give his side an edge.
Centre-Midfield: Fernando
Fernando has garnered a lot of experience in his career and has made 17 appearances for Hong Kong since his debut for them in 2022. The 38-year-old tends to play a more retracted midfield role under Westwood, where he can dictate the tempo of his side’s passing moves.
Fernando excels at winning the ball back in key areas and sending his teammates forward with creative passes into the empty areas. He will look to be that essential link between the defence and the attack against India to create major counter-attacking chances to allow his players to run at the defenders.
Centre-Midfield: Ngan Cheuk Pan
The 27-year-old midfielder is the engine for Hong Kong’s midfield with his clever game-reading ability and distributional awareness. Pan is excellent at regaining possession in key positions because of his expert reading ability of the opposition’s attacking moves.
He is also pretty swift with moving the ball forward quickly to help his side surge forward on counter-attacks, which is almost guaranteed to be a problem for India.
Left Wing-Back: Shinichi Chan
The Japanese born energetic full-back could be a handful to deal with for India. He boasts some impressive speed to his arsenal, being able to get the ball forward quickly through the wide areas. He currently plays for Shanghai Shenhua in the Chinese Super League, having managed seven goal contributions (two goals, five assists) in 22 appearances for them in the 2024-25 season.
Chan will be eager to shut down India’s movement down the wide areas with his sturdy defensive work and ability to win the ball. He will also be tasked to create chances with his innovative passes and be a thorn for the visitors.
Attacking Midfield: Juninho
Juninho is heading into this qualifier at the back of some impressive form in the 2024-25 season. He scored nine goals in 23 games for Hong Kong club Kitchee FC and can be a thorn to deal with in the no.10 role.
The 34-year-old is a real skilful player with a lot of creativity in his arsenal, which should allow him to create some big chances with his innovative passes against India. He will also be looking to surge into the key attacking areas and get at the end of moves to finish off chances efficiently against the Blue Tigers.
Centre-Forward: Stefan Pereira
The Brazil-born Hong Kong forward might be 37, but he is still going strong in terms of being a menacing figure in front of goal. Pereira scored eight goals in 23 Hong Kong Premier League games in the 2024-25 season, but he is actually yet to open his goal tally for the Hong Kong national team.
Pereira will look to end that against India by being a prolific figure in the frontline. He’ll look to use his experience to outwit the defenders and latch onto the ball in key areas in the box and finish chances off ruthlessly.
Centre-Forward Michael Udebuluzor
In the absence of Matt Orr, Michael Udebuluzor is likely to fill in that no.9 role for Hong Kong. He scored four goals for fifth division German side VfR Mannheim in the 2024-25 season and is Hong Kong’s only player to be playing in Europe.
Udebuluzor is a spirited and fast forward, who loves to outwit defenders in the one-on-one duels or outrun them in the final third. He has the ability to slip into the open spaces in the box and will look to latch onto chances and put them away clinically against India.
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