(Hong Kong, 27th May 2011) Canon Cup 2011, title sponsored by Canon Hongkong Company Limited (CHK) held at Hong Kong Stadium today. Kitchee, the Hong Kong First Division football league 2010/11 champion challenged against the Spanish League for a Japan earthquake relief charity challenge. Total HK$300,000 was raised for Japan.
Mr. Daisuke Matsunaga, the Deputy Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong attended the match and appreciates and support of Hong Kong audience. Mr. Kevin Kobayashi, President and CEO of CHK says, “With forty years of local roots, we, as a Japanese company, want to join hand with local citizens to show our support to the victims. This is the reason why Canon combines football and charity together to cheer up Japan! I sincerely thank Mr. Nakata, Kitchee and Villarreal C.F. showed their support to Japan.”
Villarreal C.F., also nicknamed the ‘yellow submarine’, sent its best players including Marcos Senna, Capdevila, Marchena and Santi Carzorla competed with Lo Kwan Yee, Chino Lusada and Lam Ka Wai of Kitchee. Japanese famous football star Mr. Hidetoshi Nakata has played a number of charity games in Singapore, Thailand and Italy in recent months, this time he attracted Hong Kong fans to attend the match.
Mr. Nakata attended as the guest player and wore the No.80 jersey to celebrate Kitchee’s 80th anniversary in the first half of the match. Neither of the teams have scored a goal in the first 90 minutes. He then switched to the yellow jersey to be part of Villarreal team in the second half. In the end, Villarreal C.F. made 3:0 towards Kitchee by Captain Marcos Senna, Angel Miguel Garcia, Manuel Trigueros Munoz and Adolfo Enriquez García.
More than 7,000 audience attended the charity match and tickets sold from HK$150 to HK$400. The organizer, Kitchee Foundation Limited donated a fixed amount from every ticket sold and proceeds from the game will benefit UNICEF dealing with victims of Japan's March 11 earthquake and tsunami. |
