Hong Kong women’s international Wai Yuen-ting became the first Hongkonger ever to win a European football league on Sunday.
The 27-year-old attacking midfielder helped Albanian titans Vllaznia beat third-place Tirana 4-1, earning their seventh consecutive league title and securing yet another Uefa Women’s Champions League qualifying place.
“I started off playing right forward. It’s a position I am pretty comfortable with and competent in,” said Wai, who joined the Shkoder-based outfit after a successful trial in July. “As I said before, the team has been playing well all season. I just joined up and followed their trajectory.”
Wai played six games in total in the team’s impressive campaign of 17 wins in 18 games. Vllaznia will enter next season’s 2020-21 Uefa Champions League qualifying round consisting of at least 40 league champions or runners-up from around the continent.
The 2020-21 edition draw will be made in September with the first set of qualifiers scheduled for October 7, 10 and 13.
“Compared to the first game I played, I’ve got much better chemistry with my teammates. I had found difficulties in how to use my strengths to help improve the team, but I have since learned and my peers have showed me how solve these issues,” said the former Citizen player.
“I’m very thankful for the support. I’ve been talking with the club the whole time and we said we would talk after the season is finished. So after a bit of time, I will give you an update,” Wai said with regards to her future at the club.
Vllaznia reached the last-16 of this season’s Champions League before being knocked out by Danish champions Fortuna Hjorring last September. The semi-finals and final have been rescheduled for the end of August.
Wai last played for Hong Kong in an international tournament in Turkey back in March this year.
