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SCMP Sport

By any metric, Hong Kong’s first football festival has been a roaring success.
Thursday’s game was something of a historic occasion, marking the first time Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur had played each other outside the UK.
And three weeks before the Premier League gets under way, a North London derby seemed like the ideal way to kick pre-season into high gear. Kick being the operative word when these two sides meet.
If that wasn’t enough, Arsenal fans got their first glimpse of Viktor Gyokeres wearing the number made famous by Thierry Henry. Spurs fans, meanwhile, may have had their last look at their captain Son Heung-min, who is rumoured to be on his way.
Read on for all that and more at Kai Tak Stadium.
Reporting by Mike Chan, Harvey Kong, Timon Johnson, Paul McNamara, Tom Bell and Josh Ball


After showcasing football stars, Hong Kong must focus on the local game

Hong Kong’s local football needs to harness festival passion

Could Hong Kong Football Festival rival city’s rugby sevens as its crown jewel?

Kai Tak football fest a win for Hong Kong as host of elite sporting events

Hong Kong Football Festival 2025

Arsenal v Tottenham in Hong Kong: Sarr earns Spurs win at Kai Tak Stadium – as it happened

Tottenham players celebrate at Kai Tak Stadium. Photo: Elson Li

Sport

Football

Spurs’ Son Heung-min plays and Gyokeres makes Arsenal debut as Premier League pair contest historic first North London derby outside UK


Spurs’ Son Heung-min plays and Gyokeres makes Arsenal debut as Premier League pair contest historic first North London derby outside UK.


English Premier League

Viktor Gyokeres

Thierry Henry

Live

It’s the second game of the Hong Kong Football Festival, and it’s almost like we were never away.
Kai Tak Stadium opened it’s doors about 30 minutes ago, and there has been a trickle of fans coming in to take a look.
The venue is expecting it’s 1 millionth person through the gates at some point this afternoon, and officials have something special planned for that moment.


Here we go

A back injury might have stopped Siobhan Haughey competing at the World Aquatics Championships, but it’s not going to prevent her from watching some football.
Apparently the decorated Olympian is a Spurs fan, or it might have something to do with her AIA sponsorship deal. Who knows?



Famous fans

Outside Kai Tak Stadium, Arsenal fan, Saynab Diria, is just soaking up the atmosphere.
For the 23-year-old Australian fan and bakery owner, the match is an opportunity she could not pass up, especially since it is both closer to her home than the Emirates and the first derby outside the UK.
“As soon as I saw they were close to home, I was like, ‘I gotta take a shot,’ and it’s a derby as well,” she says.


From near and far

Kayk Yip, manager of the Grove restaurant in Kai Tak Mall 3, says they have seen 15 per cent more business compared to a usual weekday as a result of today’s game.
Although that is down from the 20 per cent surge in sales ahead of the Liverpool and AC Milan game on Saturday.
“During last Saturday, we were seeing an increase of roughly 20 to 25 per cent compared to usual,” she says. “It could be because today is a weekday that our sales are weaker.”


Retail boost

They had twice as many fans watching them train this week, and it looks like Arsenal could be enjoying the lions’ share of support tonight as well.
It feels as though there are only one or two Tottenham fans here and there just outside of the stadium gates.
Looks like Kai Tak will be the Emirates tonight if Spurs fans do not start showing up.



Sea of red

Tottenham Hotspur fan Carrie Yung says she will simply support an extra team if captain Son Heung-min leaves the club, as some believe he will.
“I started watching football during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and instantly spotted Son,” says Yung.
She predicts her team to lose 3-1 tonight – a very Spurs mindset and one most Tottenham fans we’ve met would relate to.
“There are a few more players I also like now, so I will not ditch the team even if Son leaves,” Yung adds.


Here for Sonny

Spurs players will have bespoke shirt numbers designed by local Hong Kong artists for their game against Arsenal.
The club tell us that ‘ParentsParents’, a collective of artists from diverse backgrounds in graffiti, illustration and geometry style character, designed the numbers that will be worn on the back of our shirts, using themes, colours and symbols meaningful to Hong Kong.
Hopefully they’re easier to see than the ones Liverpool had last week.



Special shirts

The Post is getting set up inside Kai Tak Stadium, where the first of the fans are starting to file in.
Last Saturday, Liverpool’s end had red and white cards laid out so fans could form a mosaic.
This evening, Tottenham’s area behind the goal in the South Stand has white flags bearing the club crest placed on each seat.
The PA is booming out tunes and, mercifully, the air con is again on full blast. Most pleasant.




Calm before the storm

Kin Ip and his family walk through the gates, and one of them is the millionth spectator to enter Kai Tak Stadium since it opened in March.
He says he and his family are very happy and he is touched to be a part of the stadium’s history.
“Finally Hong Kong has a home arena or venue where we can tell the world that Hong Kong has such a good venue that can allow more people to come and see, perform or have different types of competitions, this is something that Hong Kong people should be proud of,” he says.



Making history

John Sharkey, CEO of Kai Tak Sports Park, says welcoming the stadium’s 1 millionth spectator was an “extraordinary milestone”.
“Since our grand opening on March 1, we have had the privilege of hosting 27 unforgettable event days and night,” he says.
“Kai Tak used to be where Hong Kong left to see the world, now, this is where the world comes to see Hong Kong.”


A global attraction

As if he didn’t have enough pressure on his shoulders, Viktor Gyokeres has opted to take Arsenal’s vacant No 14 shirt, which former captain Thierry Henry famously wore on the way to becoming the club’s record scorer.
“Of course I know about the history,” Gyokeres said. “To be honest, there weren’t so many numbers available. There weren’t too many to pick from.
“But of course, that one was available. So when I knew that, it was an easy choice to take it.
“It’s not really my intention to be compared with what he’s achieved in his career. Especially here. I just want to do my own thing and show my qualities. Of course he was an amazing player, but different from me.” Reuters


Weight of expectation

The rival sets of supporters have been busy in Hong Kong this week, as we found out when we spoke to them for our story about it.
Tottenham fans wanted to let the city know they were here by hiring and customising an open-top bus to carry them from Central to the stadium.
That bus has now made its way to Kai Tak, and here are those fans with the wind in their hair as they ride through the Cross Harbour Tunnel. Well, it’s more memorable than catching the MTR.




Arriving in style

Restaurants run by a local catering group are offering promotions in conjunction with the Hong Kong Football Festival, even if it would not compare this to the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens.
“It’s hard to compare a world-class friendly match with a successful annual event steeped in history,” says Simon Wong Kit-lung, chief executive of the Kabushikigaisha Group, which has four businesses in Kai Tak Mall.
“A mega-event like this is sure to bring joy and create business opportunities for nearby restaurants and the entire city.”


Enjoying the benefits

Spurs’ South Korean star Son Heung-min is a huge draw for many fans in this part of the world. Edmond Leung says he got fed up with Manchester United and switched his loyalties to Tottenham four years ago.
“There was only disappointment as a United fan, and I am more of a fan who follows players rather than the team,” the 40-year-old said.
“I used to like Park Ji-sung [of United], and after him, Son Heung-min became a natural replacement as an Asian playing in the Premier League.”
Leung tried to go to watch United in England, but was foiled by a snowstorm. “I will be going again, but to watch Spurs at their new stadium,” he says.



Supporting Son

Just under an hour from kick-off, it’s time for the opening ceremony.
Rosanna Law Shuk-pui, Hong Kong’s secretary for culture, sports and tourism, is among the officials on the pitch to oversee it, along with the chairman of the Football Association of Hong Kong, China, Eric Fok Kai-shan.
They dot the eyes of a dragon to bring it to life, and a dragon dance begins.
Spurs fans begin chanting, and the Arsenal end – prompted by their team’s goalkeepers emerging to warm up – responds with a roar.




Dotting the eyes

Eric Lau says Arsenal’s “Invincibles” season in the 2003-04 Premier League campaign was not the greatest for the team because “the best is yet to come”.
“I will be happy and satisfied if we win the Premier League, and reach at least the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League next season,” he says.
Standing next to Lau is his girlfriend Andes Lee, who has been supporting Liverpool for more than 20 years. “We don’t have to argue about football, at least not in the recent years, there’s nothing to argue,” she says.



Divided loyalties

The first overseas North London derby is going to be a mother-and-son night out for Candy Choi and Ocean Wong.
“I started supporting Arsenal when I was 17 or 18, we have Thierry Henry back then and Freddie Ljungberg was always having a new hair cut every now and then, that had caught my eyes,” Choi says. “My husband is a Manchester United fan and that’s why he is not coming.”
The long-term Gunners fan also says she took a few days off from work, but says it’s easier to follow the players in the UK than in Hong Kong.
“Fans here, together with the massive number from China are too enthusiastic, I went to Rosewood the other day but could just catch the players getting off the coach, I need to spend many more hours outdoor if I am to get their signatures.”



A family affair

In among all the pre-match hoopla and fans’ excitement, we have players out warming up.
It is a safe bet that Guglielmo Vicario, the Spurs goalkeeper, has never before practised handling crosses while a dragon dance is happening in his penalty box.
The Arsenal keepers are limbering up, too, as fans are noisily instructed over the PA to “make some noise for the goalkeepers out on the pitch”. Boos ring out for the Tottenham stoppers, cheers for their counterparts.


And now, some football

Marcus Chan, 16, is the only Arsenal fan in his family, yet his Manchester United-supporting father was willing to shell out just under HK$10,000 for four tickets tonight.
”I used to like Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez most, now I like Martin Odegaard,” Chan Jnr says. “It’s only entertainment for us, we never argue about football.”
Alongside is his grandpa, Fat Wan, who has supported United for more than 30 years. “We all love football,” the 68-year-old says.



Generation game

If goal-machine Viktor Gyokeres is going to make his Arsenal debut tonight it will be from the bench.
He is not in a starting 11 that features Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and captain Martin Odegaard.
Son Heung-min does not start for Spurs either. Their attack will be led by Brazilian striker Richarlison, with Lucas Bergvall and Mohammed Kudus, the big-money capture from West Ham United, both playing from the beginning.


Gyokeres, Son on bench

As fans line up to enter Kai Tak Stadium, Tottenham supporters Gary Taylor and Greta Gurnaite have one small problem: they don’t have match tickets.
The pair, who work in property in the UK, gambled by flying to Hong Kong anyway.
They are holding a sign appealing for help. “We’re getting a lot of attention,” Gurnaite says cheerfully.
Taylor is texting a private ticket seller in the hope of bagging a couple of last-minute seats. Wish them luck.



Urgent appeal

All four clubs involved in this football festival brought along former players, every one of them described as “legends” by organisers, which is generous.
Anyway, former Gunners Bacary Sagna and Gilberto Silva, and Ledley King, the ex-Spurs captain, are mined for their insight by the stadium announcers.
“It’s a really important game, we knew London was red, but Hong Kong is red, too,” says the mischievous Sagna.
King struggles to make himself heard against the backdrop of barracking from the Arsenal fans, while Silva tips Arsenal new-boy Gyokeres to “score so many goals and make the fans happy”.


The ‘legends’ speak

You would never see this in London. As dozens of Tottenham fans approach Kai Tai Stadium, they come face-to-face with hundreds of Arsenal devotees.
The Tottenham faction march defiantly through the sea of red, singing loudly against the Arsenal supporters’ cheers and jeers.
Among the Spurs contingent is 26-year-old Hongkonger Sam Chung. “Even though there are only a few Tottenham fans, we will win [the rivalry],” he says.



Face to face

Kai Tak Stadium is like home from home for Arsenal, whose fans are outnumbering and out cheering their rivals.
It might be the first time the South Stand, where the Spurs fans are sitting, has been the quietest part of the ground. Normally, that’s the party end for the rugby sevens.
Still, we’re less than 10 minutes from kick-off and the noise is building. We’re now being treated to a rather raucous rendition of North London Forever.


It’s almost go time

Jon Jhun, a 35-year-old Tottenham fan, says it is incredible for the city to host the first North London derby held outside the UK.
“It’s amazing, but it is a little bit skewed ... there are [fewer] Tottenham fans, so I am a little scared,” he jokes. “Especially if we win by four.”
The South Korean fan, dressed in Tottenham gear, says he hopes to see Son Heung-min, who starts on the bench.



Historic first

An ear-splitting din accompanies the announcement of Arsenal’s line-up, after every Tottenham player’s name was roundly booed.
Declan Rice gets the biggest cheer, which is little surprise for anyone who saw the number of fans outside wearing Gunners jerseys adorned with the England midfielder’s name.
Ordered to make as much noise as possible, the Arsenal fans top 100 decibels. It was closer to 60 from the Spurs contingent.


Make some noise

“Are you ready Hong Kong?” reads the giant screen, as the players make their way out. Whipped up by a pre-match show, when the floodlights are dimmed and flame throwers and fans’ phones light up the arena, both sets of fans are giddy with excitement.
The teams form the now ubiquitous pre-match huddles. What more can possibly need to be said, unless they want to moan about the boss?
And away we go...



Away we go

It is one-way traffic at the moment, with Spurs taking more than four minutes to escape from their own half.
The best chance so far falls to William Saliba, who steers narrowly wide after getting his head on Martin Odegaard’s mis-hit shot.


One-way traffic

Just as we were saying Spurs are struggling, Pedro Porro has nearly scored directly from a corner. Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya misjudges the inswinging effort from left and it bounces off his right-hand post.
Try telling anyone here this is just a friendly. The game is being contested at a fair lick, while the oversize technical areas are not big enough for managers Mikel Arteta and Thomas Frank, who are both constantly prowling and cajoling.


So close

Arsenal fan Leo Lee is nervous but happy to be inside Kai Tak Stadium to see his team in Hong Kong.
“To watch the North London derby is a very rare opportunity,” he says.
An Arsenal fan since 2004, Lee says the most important thing is simply that his team win. “The North London derby has always been red,” he adds.
No wonder Leo’s excited – what a view this is.



So rare

This is what we like to see, a little bit of niggle. Richarlison reminds Arsenal defender William Saliba that he’s there, and the officials are having to calm things down a bit.
This is a new experience for the team of Hong Kong officials overseeing this match.
Referee Lau Fong-hei, and his assistants, So Kai-man and Sam Lam Nai-kei, would have thought they had landed the dream gig, then they turn up and find it entails being regularly harangued by fiery Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
We are seeing a proper contest.


A proper contest

The Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya has had an absolute nightmare there, and still got away with it.
Spurs forward Wilson Odobert rattles his post, and then Raya completely misses another inswinging corner, this time from the right, only for that to hit the post, hit the lurking Richarlison on the arm and bounce over the bar.


Raya’s nightmare

Still goalless at Kai Tak, but all the cynicism one would expect from a North London derby is on display.
Rodrigo Bentancur crudely stops the forward run of Bukayo Saka and becomes the first player to earn a yellow card.
Soon after that, there’s applause from the Spurs end as Son Heung-min starts warming up on the sidelines.


Sonny spotted

Spurs lead 1-0. Pape Matar Sarr chips in spectacularly from almost halfway.
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya is out of his goal to pass to left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly when Sarr muscles Lewis-Skelly off the ball. Spying Raya way off his line, Sarr lofts the ball over the keeper and into the net from fully 45 yards.
He then boosts his status with Spurs fans by celebrating in front of the Arsenal supporters in the North Stand.
Glorious goal from the Senegalese midfielder on the stroke of half-time.



Goal!

After a half-time interval featuring a penalty competition for fans and a little too much shouting from the stadium announcer through the booming sound system, we are back.
The second half kicks off, and we’ve only just caught our breath from the first.
Can Arsenal reply to that goal by Sarr?



Second half

The pace is easing slightly, as the second half gets off to a scrappy start. There is no let-up in the needle, as Arsenal’s Christian Norgaard and Spurs’ Djed Spence have a falling-out.
An off-balance Gabriel Martinelli toes over from 12 yards after collecting a cute reverse pass from Kai Havertz.
Arsenal, unbeaten in six matches against Spurs dating back to May 2022, are desperately keen to maintain that run here.
With an hour gone here at Kai Tak, Spurs bring on three substitutes, with Richarlison among those to come off.



Arsenal keen

The penny is dropping that we may not see Son Heung-min, one of the star attractions, play for Tottenham tonight.
There has been talk of Son being sold. It is believed that Spurs are contractually bound to field the South Korean – understandably enough – for their next match in Seoul. But a feisty match against Arsenal may seem a little hazardous, just before selling your star man.
Tottenham’s substitutes continue warming up, but Sonny shows no sign of joining the fray.



Where’s Sonny?

Call it the commentator’s curse – but with a happy outcome.
Moments after we suggested Son Heung-min may be kept in cotton wool by Spurs tonight so as not to jeopardise his potential sale, he is on the touchline ready to come on and play.
What is more, we are to see a debut for Arsenal’s new sigining, the US$74.2 million (HK$582 million) striker Viktor Gyokeres.
The players pause for a water break, and tonight’s attendance is announced: 49,975.
Then on come the star attractions, to huge roars.


Here’s Sonny – and Gyokeres

End-to-end action now, as the managers begin making changes. Spurs boss Frank sends on three players and one of them, Mathys Tel, lofts a delivery that Micky van de Ven heads off target.
Martin Zubimendi comes on for Arsenal, along with Leandro Trossard, and the Spanish midfielder almost immediately volleys fractionally over, via a deflection.
Spurs are defending like their lives depend on it and the effort gets to Lucas Bergvall, who is briefly down with cramp.



Defending for their lives

There is a blow for Arsenal as Leandro Trossard, who came on after 68 minutes, limps off 17 minutes later.
It is hard to keep up with the changes now, but the game has not lost its flow. Wiry 15-year-old Max Dowman, who received a booming reception from Arsenal fans, is at the heart of his side’s bid to craft a late equaliser.
We are into the last five minutes of the 90.



Time ticks down

Six minutes of added time will be played.
Dowman weaves into the area for Arsenal, but has the ball whipped off his toe at the decisive moment.
Lots of pushing and shoving at the corner with Arsenal’s Mikel Merino shown a yellow card. The delivery is eventually claimed by Spurs goalkeeper Vicario.
There are grumbles as Ben White runs the ball out of play from Arsenal’s next attack.



Arsenal desperate

Full-time: 1-0 Spurs

The Spurs fans, completely outnumbered by their Arsenal counterparts, jubilantly flutter their white flags at full-time.
Pape Matar Sarr’s excellent 45th-minute goal settles the contest.




Spurs jubilant

Arsenal’s Declan Rice is talking at pitchside.
“Thank you so much for all the support – even though we lost, we love you guys,” he tells fans.
“Been an incredible trip, another game on Wednesday, we’ll keep building and wish for good things this season.”


Rice thanks fans

Here come the officials to present the trophy on the Kai Tak pitch.
Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki and Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui are joined by local football association chiefs.
Tottenham’s players gather on a temporary stage and Chan poses for photographs with winning manager Thomas Frank.
The trophy is handed to Spurs captain Son Heung-min, but he can’t raise it aloft yet – first, more photos.


Presentation

Son rejoins his teammates, and glitter and flames are fired either side of them as they raise the trophy.
Richarlison takes it over to show his club’s fans in the South Stand, which goes down well. They have stayed in their thousands and bellow out “When the Spurs Go Marching In”.
By the end of the song, their players are already long gone – their celebration lasted a third as long as the ceremony.
These tours wait for nobody: on they must go to Seoul.



And glitter

That actually isn’t the last we’ve seen of the players. Both teams are back out on the Kai Tak pitch doing sprints to warm down, almost alongside each other at times.
Well, this is weird.
It allows the remaining Tottenham fans to enjoy the moment for a little longer, at least.
A rock band are playing in the Champion Bar in the East Stand – one of Asia’s longest bars at about 100 metres – as people take final photographs, reluctant to leave.



Warm down

“It’s not about the money, money, money,” sing the band as they run through Jessie J’s “Price Tag”.
Maybe it has been a little about the money, on an important occasion for Hong Kong as an event host and for the four football clubs who came to town partly to deepen their footprint in the region. For all parties it has to go down as a success.
But there has been entertainment and fervour aplenty tonight too, just as there was last Saturday for Liverpool v AC Milan.
Spurs and Arsenal players are now kicking footballs around on the pitch, while the final few spectators hang around to soak it all in. And the band launches into Oasis’ “Wonderwall”.



More football, and ‘Wonderwall’

Spurs manager Thomas Frank is applauded in his press conference when it is mentioned that we had a record crowd for the stadium tonight – the 49,975 attendance being 271 more people than saw Liverpool play AC Milan.
“[The result] was pleasing,” Frank says. “I’ve been very clear this was not a friendly. It felt like a competitive match.
“We have been working hard on defensive organisation, high pressure, desire to keep a clean sheet – it gives you a big opportunity to win matches.
“It was an unbelievable goal, fantastic, well taken. All credit to Pape, he’s impressed me.”


Applause for Frank

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says it’s been a successful visit on several fronts for his team.
“I would like to thank you for the welcome,” he says. “It’s been enjoyable.
“We had very clear objectives. To keep developing our preparation and maximising every day to get to a really high level.
“Also to connect with our people, to get to know this beautiful culture, and we’ve done both those things, despite not getting the result we wanted.”


Successful trip

The East Stand band play a rendition of “Yellow” – appropriately so after Coldplay’s shows here at Kai Tak Stadium three months ago – and it’s time to wrap things up.
A few hundred Spurs fans are having to be begged by stadium staff to go home, and we feel much the same as those supporters. They manage to get a wave out of Son Heung-min first. Is that a farewell wave from him?
Across two lively matches and four training sessions that brought the public closer to their heroes, it’s been a rousing few days at Hong Kong Football Festival.
It showcased the city’s state-of-the-art new stadium and ticked off an event that, like those Coldplay concerts in April, has bolstered Hong Kong’s hosting credentials.
You can read further reports at scmp.com/sport, but for now, thank you and goodbye.



Arsenal v Tottenham in Hong Kong: Sarr earns Spurs win at Kai Tak Stadium – as it happened

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Spurs’ Son Heung-min plays and Gyokeres makes Arsenal debut as Premier League pair contest historic first North London derby outside UK

Spurs’ Son Heung-min plays and Gyokeres makes Arsenal debut as Premier League pair contest historic first North London derby outside UK