The Guangdong team roster for the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup has been finalized, with only two players from the Chinese Super League joining.

Reporter Wang Wei reports. The first leg of the 44th Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup is scheduled for the evening of December 28 at Hong Kong Stadium. After the Hong Kong Football Association revealed their squad on December 19, Guangdong’s lineup was finalized on December 24. This year, Guangdong’s team is primarily based on the Shenzhen 2028 squad, runners-up of the U20 men’s football competition at the 15th National Games. The roster also includes Jiang Zhipeng and Liao Lisheng from Xinpengcheng, and Hou Yu from Guangzhou Leopards, with Wang Baoshan serving as head coach.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup is a traditional football competition between Guangdong Province and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It was jointly established in 1978 by the Guangdong Football Association and the Hong Kong Football Association. Each year, both associations send representative teams to compete in home-and-away matches held alternately in Guangdong and Hong Kong, with the winner awarded the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup trophy. Since its inception in 1979, the cup has been held 43 times, with Guangdong winning 26 times and Hong Kong 17 times.

According to reports, after receiving the task for the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup, the Shenzhen 2028 team began centralized training on December 10. In addition to their own players, some Guangdong-born players were added. After coordination, Xinpengcheng’s left-back Jiang Zhipeng, defensive midfielder Liao Lisheng (loaned from Rongcheng last summer), and Guangzhou Leopards’ defensive midfielder Hou Yu joined the squad. However, Guoan player Lin Liangming, previously rumored to participate, was unable to join due to certain reasons.

Jiang Zhipeng, Liao Lisheng, and Hou Yu have already joined the team at the Shenzhen Youth Football Training Base. The Guangdong squad for the first leg consists of 24 players. Apart from these three, the rest are Shenzhen 2028 players, including those who previously represented Guangdong in the U20 men’s football event at the 15th National Games, such as Yuan Zinan, Li Mingjie, Hai Jieqing, Luan Cheng, Yuan Jianrui, Huang Zishun, Huang Keqi, Wang Ziyang, Hao Mujian, Chen Wei, Luo Kaisha, Chen Ziwen, Li Lehang, Wang Zhiyuan, and Jiang Wenjing. However, the outstanding winger Zhong Wen, who performed well at the National Games, was not selected.

On the Hong Kong side, although six Chinese Super League players—Chen JinYi, An Yongjia, Ru Zinan, Li Xiaoheng, Zhou Yuande, and Alexis Zu—who made the preliminary list did not make the final 24-man roster, the squad still includes Sun Mingqian from CSL’s Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, Wu Yuxi from newly promoted CSL club Chongqing Tongliang Long, as well as Yu Zaiyan from China League One’s Shijiazhuang Kungfu and Ma Xiwei from Shaanxi United. Additionally, veteran Liang Nuoheng, who has played many years at Zhejiang, has returned to the team.

Guangdong has won the last two editions of the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup. This is Wang Baoshan’s first time leading the team, and he aims to build a squad with balanced tactical skills and youthful energy. Before heading to Hong Kong, Wang led two weeks of training in Shenzhen. With the addition of Jiang Zhipeng, Liao Lisheng, and Hou Yu on December 23 and 24, the team began full squad rehearsals.

On December 23, Xie Changjing, chairman of the Guangdong Football Association, visited the Shenzhen Youth Football Training Base to meet with the coaches and players preparing for the competition. After watching the training session, he encouraged the team to perform well in this edition of the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup, to showcase the spirit of Guangdong football, and to deliver two exciting matches for the fans and audiences in both Guangdong and Hong Kong.

Wang Baoshan expressed confidence that through these two high-level matches within the Bay Area, the team will demonstrate the style of Guangdong football and provide a thrilling and efficient performance.

Jiang Zhipeng and Hou Yu both participated in the 43rd Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup. In the first leg, Guangdong drew 1-1 at home with Hong Kong; Jiang scored a penalty to equalize after Hong Kong’s Stefan Penilla opened the scoring. In the second leg, Guangdong won 2-1 away, with Baila Ram providing a goal and assist, and Xia Dalong scoring the decisive header, securing a 3-2 aggregate victory and successfully defending the title for the 26th time. Regarding this year’s cup, Jiang Zhipeng stated he will give his all to contribute to Guangdong’s success and help the team win.

The second leg of the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup will be held on January 3 at the Nansha Greater Bay Area Sports Center Stadium in Guangzhou. Additionally, to expand the influence of the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup and promote football development and prosperity in the Greater Bay Area, as well as to support the integration of culture, tourism, and sports and boost consumption, the 2026 Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup Super Invitational Tournament will be held from December 27 to January 1 in Foshan Sanshui and Guangzhou. Participating teams include the 2025 Guangdong Provincial Super Champion Wuchuan Youth Team, Foshan “La Liga” Champion Guangdong Fenglu Team, National Village Super Champion Zhaoqing Gaoyao Jinlichengjun Team, Xinjiang Kashgar Palidio Team, Hong Kong Sports Association Team, and Macau Aoke Elite Team.