On July 27th, the final day of the East Asian Cup, Hong Kong's best soccer team and the 147th ranked team in the world is about to challenge the 77th ranked team in the world, China. On this tense eve, Hong Kong's leading scorer, 25-year-old Yung-Ka Ahn, gave an in-depth interview to North West Lookout. The 2023 Asian Cup qualifying top scorer and two-time Hong Kong Premier League champion shares his debut in the East Asian Cup, his expectations for the upcoming China showdown, and comparisons with Japanese and South Korean soccer.
An Yongjia's soccer career has been filled with multiculturalism, as he was exposed to American and New Zealand soccer in his youth. So how does he feel about the soccer atmosphere in these different regions and what are his unique insights?
Northwestern Lookout:
This is your first time in the East Asian Cup, what are your feelings?
Yasunaga:
The opponents in the East Asian Cup were quite strong, and we all had a great time in Japan with the impressive venue and food.
Northwestern Lookout:
How did it feel to make your debut against Japan? What was the difference between the team and Japan?
Yasunaga:
The match against Japan was extremely tough, and as a striker, I only touched the ball six times in the whole match, which was very unusual for me. The Japanese team had excellent ball control skills, quick transitions between offense and defense, and were very strong as a whole. I learned a lot from this game.
Northwestern Lookout:
You mentioned that you had very few touches against Japan, do you usually look at the stats a lot?
Yasunaga:
Normally I don't pay too much attention to stats, but it's obviously not my style to touch the ball so little in the Japan game. Against the hosts, our team had very limited chances to receive the ball, and it was almost always Japan who controlled the ball. If the number of touches is too low, then it's hard to concentrate. I'll analyze the six touches and see if I'm contributing to the team.
Northwestern Lookout:
What do you know about the Japanese team?
Yasunaga:
By watching them play, I knew that the Japanese team was incredibly strong. When they actually took the field, I realized that they were very fast and at a high level. It was very different from the impression on TV, the real Japanese team was even better. I saw the gap and I will try to improve my physical ability next.
Northwestern Lookout:
Do you have any personal goals for facing China?
Yasunaga:
As a striker, the priority is to score goals. I want to show my strength and prove that I am capable of fighting against strong teams.
Northwestern Lookout:
What do you know about Chinese teams?
Yasunaga:
I watched the match between China and South Korea, and I don't know much about the offense as the Chinese team relies mainly on defense. But we are familiar with the Chinese players, and through the Chinese Super League matches, we know that the Chinese team is strong and we are looking forward to playing against them.
Northwestern Lookout:
Are you interested in the Chinese Super League?
Yasunaga:
I've always been eager to challenge for a higher level of competition, including the Chinese Super League. But for now, I will focus on my current performance and try to score more goals.
Northwestern Lookout:
Do you play in different leagues in different countries?
Yasunaga:
In the college league in the U.S., although the passing skills were not particularly good, the players were all very motivated and the training was very intense, which helped me improve my skill level a lot. In New Zealand, I only played for two months and didn't know much about the league there, but the overall level of the players was very high. In the Hong Kong Premier League, I got a lot of chances to play and gained a lot of experience in the game. I really enjoyed playing in the Hong Kong Premier League and appreciated having such a platform and opportunity.
Northwestern Lookout:
Is the league level in the United States and New Zealand higher than that in Hong Kong, China? Is this related to academic pressure?
Yasunaga:
There is relatively little academic pressure in the United States and New Zealand, parents are not particularly demanding, and if a child wants to play soccer, they are supported. I am very grateful to my parents for their continued support and dedication.
Northwestern Lookout:
What experience in your career has had the greatest impact on you?
Yasunaga:
Going to the United States at the age of 15 to play soccer, playing alongside great players and competing against high-level teams every day has helped me improve my skill level. I want young players to have the opportunity to play in overseas leagues, the improvement is remarkable.
Northwestern Lookout:
Many people say that the soccer atmosphere in the United States is not as good as Hong Kong, China.
Yasunaga:
The soccer atmosphere in Hong Kong, China is much better than before. Our team is in the main round of the Asian Cup after 55 years, and a lot of people are starting to pay attention to our game, which is a good period.
Northwestern Lookout:
What are your goals for the Asian Cup?
Yasunaga:
Compared to other teams, there is still a gap in the strength of our Hong Kong, China team, and the game will be very tough. But we will give our best in the game and show our level. I hope the fans can see our efforts in every game, we are a very hard-working team, victory or defeat is not the most important, the most important thing is whether we can play a wonderful game.
Northwestern Lookout:
Many people call you the "Hong Kong version of Crow" or "Hong Kong version of Royce", how do you feel about such labels?
Yasunaga:
These are labels given by other people, other people's comments. I don't focus too much on that, I understand my core goal is to play soccer.
Northwestern Lookout:
Who is your favorite player?
Yasunaga:
Steven Gerrard, I am a Liverpool fan and have enjoyed watching Steven Gerrard play since I was a kid. He achieved many victories in Liverpool, especially in difficult moments, he was always able to step up and help the team win.
Northwestern Lookout:
What are your hobbies?
Yasunaga:
I enjoy golfing, sunbathing and walking my dog on the beach.
