Hosts Hong Kong Open ASEAN Cup Campaign with Statement Win

Hong Kong, China — Hong Kong kicked off their FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 Division 2 campaign in emphatic fashion on Sunday, dismantling Laos 4-0 at Kai Tak Stadium to send a clear message to the rest of the tournament.

Playing in front of a vibrant home crowd that turned the stadium into a sea of red, the co-hosts were ruthless from the opening whistle. The deadlock was broken in the 13th minute when Everton Camargo swung in a corner from the right, and Sun Ming-him rose highest at the near post to thump home a header.

Hong Kong doubled their advantage in the 33rd minute through a moment of individual brilliance. Everton latched onto a clever pass from Sun, danced past two Lao defenders, and drilled a low shot into the near post to make it 2-0 at the break.

The hosts picked up where they left off in the second half. On 55 minutes, another Everton corner from the left found Dudu, who powered a header into the net to make it three. The scoring was completed in the 89th minute when An Yong-gak converted a penalty after substitute Chiu Chung-ngok was brought down in the box.

The result leaves Laos, who opened their tournament with a 3-1 win over Brunei Darussalam, with a tough task to qualify from Group A. Hong Kong, meanwhile, will be brimming with confidence as they continue their quest to win the inaugural Division 2 title on home soil.