Guangdong wins 44th Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup in penalty shootout

The second leg of the 44th Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup concluded on Saturday at the newly-built Nansha Greater Bay Area Cultural and Sports Center Stadium in Guangzhou, with the Guangdong team taking home the championship.

Each team scored two goals in the second leg of the tournament, bringing the aggregate score to 4-4 over the two legs. Ultimately, Guangdong emerged victorious in the penalty shootout, achieving its third consecutive victory in the tournament.

The cup was jointly established in 1978 by soccer associations from Guangdong and Hong Kong, making it China's first local international sports event.

Each association sends a representative team to compete in home-and-away matches held in Guangdong and Hong Kong, with the winner of the two legs receiving the tournament trophy.

Since 1979, the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup has been held 44 times, with the Guangdong team winning 27 times and the Hong Kong team 17 times.

This year's Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup took place after the conclusion of the 15th National Games, which were co-hosted for the first time by Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao.

The event carries a new mission to further promote the deep integration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area's economy, culture, and sports, according to the organizers.