Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Hong Kong: As captain of both his club Eastern SC and Hong Kong, it’s fair to say Yapp Hung-fai has got a lot on his plate in 2017.
Having suffered a difficult continental debut away at Guangzhou Evergrande in Matchday One, the 26-year-old goalkeeper will lead out his side for Hong Kong’s first ever AFC Champions League tie against Kawasaki Frontale at Mongkok Stadium and from the beginning of March will be involved in Hong Kong's road to AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.
The-afc.com spoke to Yapp ahead of the historic tie meeting with Kawasaki on Wednesday to find out more about the football journey of the man known as “Hero Fai”.
The journey of Hero Fai
When an eight-year-old Yapp Hung-fai asked to join his elder peers in a neighbourhood kick-around they allowed him on the condition that he would go in goal. He had envisaged scoring rather than preventing goals, but as the youngest on the pitch he had little choice but to take his position between the sticks.
Eighteen years on Yapp admits he got little joy from the initial experience. But he stuck it out and several games later he recalls a fine save that instantly transformed his enthusiasm towards playing in football’s most lonely position. That joyful feeling stayed with him, Peter Schmeichel later became his idol, and by 15 he already had aspirations of turning professional.
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/yapp_hung-fai_eastern_ls_jpg_1.html
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www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/yapp_graphic_jpg.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/yapp_hung-fai_hkg_ls_jpg.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/hkg_national_team_ls_jpg.html
