AFC Asian Cup: Where it all began...

September 1, 1956 marked a major milestone in Asian football history as host nation Hong Kong and Israel kicked off the first-ever match in the continent’s flagship tournament, with approximately 30,000 spectators in attendance at the Government Stadium for the seminal moment.

Those at the venue, which in 1994 would be redeveloped into the Hong Kong Stadium, had just 12 minutes to wait for the competition’s first goal - Hong Kong’s Chang Chi Kong writing his name in the annals of Asian football lore with the inaugural strike.

The East Asians would hold the lead until the 37th minute when Yehoshua Glazer scored, and although Chang would put his side back in front shortly after the hour mark, their advantage would last just ten minutes, Nahum Stelmach drawing Israel level before Glazer’s second of the game in the 76th minute denied Hong Kong the historic first victory.

Five days later Hong Kong were in action again as Korea Republic made their Asian Cup debut but despite taking a 2-0 lead in the first half, the Koreans battled back to level matters after the break and earn a point that would prove pivotal in the outcome of the four-team tournament.

An even more telling result came in Korea Republic’s next match two days later, as Woo Sang-kwon (53rd) and Sung Nak-woon (65th) got on the scoresheet in a 2-1 victory over Israel, with Stelmach’s second goal in successive matches not enough to deny the Koreans their first Asian Cup win.

South Vietnam had to wait until eight days after the start of the continental gathering to make their tournament bow against Hong Kong and the South East Asian side started with a creditable 2-2 draw.