HONG KONG -- Having done so well to make a first AFC Asian Cup appearance after a 55-year absence in 2023, it might be assumed that the minimum expectation for Hong Kong would be to once again get there four years on.
But on the eve of their winner-takes-all clash with Singapore in Group C of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, coach Ashley Westwood is insisting that is far from the case.
With Hong Kong and Singapore currently tied on eight points, whoever is victorious at Kai Tak Stadium on Tuesday is guaranteed to book their berth with a game to spare -- given the first tie-breaker is head-to-head record and their earlier encounter ended in a draw.
Should the teams fail to be separated once more, the battle for the solitary qualifying spot will go down to their final matches in March.
Especially as the home team, with a sellout crowd expected, there will be plenty of pressure on Hong Kong to get the job done yet Westwood -- who is just over a year into the role -- insists it should be instead seen as an achievement if they seal back-to-back appearances, and not the bare minimum.
"I don't think so," he replied, when asked by ESPN about the sentiment that Hong Kong's supporters would be expecting a return.
"I think it was the first time in 51 years [sic] when they did [qualify last time out]. And they didn't qualify through a normal channel.
"They went through kind of a "COVID" tournament. They actually lost 4-1 to India and finished second in the group, and only went through as one of the five [best-placed] runners-up. So it was a bit unusual.
"If you look at proper campaigns, apart from qualifying when they've hosted it, they've never qualified so, for me, this is a real good position to be in."
Westwood also pointed out how relatively close the teams in Group C are on the FIFA world rankings, with the two already-eliminated teams -- India and Bangladesh the bookends at 136th and 183rd respectively -- sandwiching Hong Kong (148th) and Singapore (155th).
"When the group came out ten, 12 months ago, India was highly ranked," he continued.
We're very closely ranked to Singapore who are very equal to us and [there is also a] really-improving Bangladesh side.
"I though the group was probably the toughest. Everything was very tight and is still tight. We've given ourselves a good position [to be in] because we've not lost.
"Now we have to just build on that and make sure we go into the game confident. But, if we are to qualify, make no mistake. It's not an expectation.
"We shouldn't be expecting to go through. When I came here, we were 159th in the world. So, if you're qualifying as the best 24 teams in Asia, and if you're 159th, then I'm not sure why there should be any expectation.
"We've got expectations of ourselves but we should be proud to be where we are. We should be proud that the stadium's full, that everybody's supporting us, that the players are in good spirits. Then whatever happens, happens.
"But for me, there's no expectation [to qualify]. There's expectations for us to perform to the highest level and we'll try to do that."