Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: With just a year to go until the AFC Asian Cup 2019, the-AFC.com rewinds to 1956 when the competition was first introduced to the world.
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.
The fans at the venue, which in 1994 would be redeveloped in to the Hong Kong Stadium, had just 12 minutes to wait for the competition’s first goal and it was Hong Kong’s Chang Chi Kong who wrote his name in the annals of Asian football lore with the inaugural strike.
The hosts 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.
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/1956_kor_kim_hong_bok_with_hong_kong_defender.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/korea_republic_1956_celebrate.html
