Yapp Hung Fai


Yapp Hung Fai is a Hong Kong professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for the Hong Kong Premier League club Eastern. He currently keeps the record for being the most capped player of the Hong Kong national football team, with 76 caps in total.

Biography

Born in a Hakka family, Yapp finished his studies at Form 5 level. He was accepted by Queen's College Old Boys Association Secondary School for Form 6 but he gave it up to pursue his football dream. He had already represented Hong Kong at under-17 level.

Workable

Yapp Hung Fai started his professional career at Workable when he was only 17 under coach Lee Kin Wo and Chan Hiu Ming in 2007. His salary was only HK$5,000. During his time at Workable FC, he helped the team to an unexpected 1:0 win against South China AA in the 2007-08 Hong Kong League Cup.

Eastern

After Workable FC was relegated at the end of the 2007–08 season, Yapp followed Lee Kin Wo and Chan Hiu Ming to Eastern. But the club did not achieve good results and decided to return to the Hong Kong Third Division League at the end of the season.

Pegasus

Yapp Hung Fai moved to Pegasus in 2009. After helping the club beat Citizen AA 2:1 to win the 2009-10 Hong Kong FA Cup and qualify for the 2011 AFC Cup, Yapp Hung Fai announced that he will join league champions South China AA along with teammate Lau Nim Yat. Yapp said he decided to join South China before the game and South China's Hong Kong location will be easier for him to attend school. He is also not worried about competing with Zhang Chunhui for the starting goalkeeper place.

South China

In 2010, Yapp Hung Fai moved to Hong Kong First Division League champions South China AA. On 29 September 2010, during Tottenham Hotspur's chief scout Ian Broomfield's visit to South China, he praised Yapp for his enormous potential. "This goalkeeper is not tall, but his reactions are sharp and he is quick to come out of the box to block strikers. He is also very committed and very well disciplined."
After defeating East Bengal in the 2011 AFC Cup game at home on 14 April 2011, South China striker Mateja Kezman suggested that Yapp Hung Fai has what it takes to play in European football leagues.
During the summer of 2013, Yapp had agreed to a 4.5 year contract with Guizhou Renhe. However, his registration was denied by the Chinese Football Association on the grounds that Yapp did not qualify as a domestic player and as such, would violate the Chinese Super League stipulations which require all keepers to be domestic players.

Second spell with Eastern

In June 2014, Yapp returned to Eastern after his contract with South China expired.

International

Hong Kong U23

On 12 December 2009, Hong Kong played in the football final of the 2009 East Asian Games. The game ended 1:1 after extra time. In the penalty shoot-out, Yapp Hung Fai saved from Shohei Otsuka before Japanese defender Daisuke Suzuki sent his effort wide. Hong Kong eventually won the penalty shoot out 4:2 and took the gold medal. Yapp Hung Fai's performance was widely applauded in the territory and he was nicknamed 英雄輝 by the public.
Yapp Hung Fai took part in the 2010 Asian Games for Hong Kong U23. Hong Kong advanced to the knock-out stage for the first time in 52 years after wins over Uzbekistan and Bangladesh and a draw with United Arab Emirates. In the knock-out stage Hong Kong was defeated by Oman 0:3 with Yapp Hung Fai saving a penalty to prevent another goal.
In the 2012 London Olympics Asian qualification tie against Uzbekistan, Yapp Hung Fai saved a penalty in the away game to prevent Hong Kong U23 losing 0:2. In the end, Hong Kong lost the tie 0:3 on aggregate.
On 10 August 2011, Hong Kong Football Association announced its squad for the 2013 East Asian Games football tournament. Only Yapp Hung Fai remains from the original gold medal winning 2009 squad.

Hong Kong

On 11 February 2010, at the age of 19, Yapp made his senior debut in a 2010 East Asian Football Championship match against Japan.
In 2011, Yapp took part in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Asian qualification matches for Hong Kong against Saudi Arabia. Hong Kong lost the tie 0:8.
In the 2012 Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup, the first match at Hong Kong Stadium ended 2–2. After the second match ended as 0–0 in Huizhou Stadium, Yapp Hung-Fai saved 3 penalties in the penalty shoot-out to help Hong Kong win by 5–4. He is once again hailed as Hong Kong's cup winning hero.
On 10 September 2019, Hong Kong faced Iran in a match of 2022 FIFA World Cup Asian qualification. Yapp got his 71st cap for the national team with FIFA "A" international match, making him be the most capped player of the team.

Honours

Club

;South China
;Pegasus
;Eastern
;Hong Kong
;Hong Kong U-23

Club career

As of 31 May 2013
Apps – Appearances; G.C. – Goals conceded; C.S. – Clean sheets.

Overview

Hong Kong

Hong Kong U23

#DateVenueOpponentResultScoredCaptainCompetition
18 December 2009Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground, Hong Kong0–102009 East Asian Games-
210 December 2009Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong1–1 02009 East Asian Games-
312 December 2009Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong1–1 02009 East Asian Games-
47 November 2010Huadu Stadium, Guangzhou, China1–102010 Asian Games-
59 November 2010Huadu Stadium, Guangzhou, China1–002010 Asian Games-
611 November 2010Huadu Stadium, Guangzhou, China4–102010 Asian Games-
715 November 2010Huangpu Sports Center, Guangzhou, China0–302010 Asian Games-
824 January 2011So Kon Po Recreation Ground, Hong Kong4–00Friendly
923 February 2011Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong4–002012 AFC Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
109 March 2011Rasmee Dhandu Stadium, Malé, Maldives3–002012 AFC Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
1112 June 2011Xianghe Sports Center, Beijing, China0–20Friendly
1219 June 2011JAR Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan0–102012 AFC Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
1323 June 2011Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong0–202012 AFC Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
1415 September 2014Incheon Munhak Stadium, Incheon, South Korea1–102014 Asian Games
1518 September 2014Ansan Wa~ Stadium, Ansan, South Korea2–102014 Asian Games
1622 September 2014Hwaseong Stadium, Hwaseong, South Korea2–102014 Asian Games
1725 September 2014Goyang Stadium, Goyang, South Korea0–302014 Asian Games

Player profile

Yapp has excellent speed and reflexes, making him an ideal one-on-one goalkeeper. He has a great ability of rushing out and closing down the attacker, and can react quickly to shots. He is also an excellent penalty kick saver, having saved penalties on multiple big occasions. However, Yapp is susceptible to crosses and corner kicks due to his lack of height.