The Lunar New Year Cup developed as an extension of the annual "Interport" matches. Initially there was no formal tournament structure. A touring team (usually an European club) would visit Hongkong and play a few exhibition matches against local selections. In the late 1970s this annual event evolved into a triangular tournament, usually involving two visiting teams, and by the late 1980s the most common format was of four teams playing semifinals, a third place match, and a final.
From the mid 1990s to the late 2000s, it was known as the Carlsberg Cup, and the participants were national teams rather than clubs. During this period, Hongkong itself usually participated using an "all-stars" league selection, drawn from the professional players (including foreigners) in its league. Despite this, many of the matches in this period involving Hongkong have been recognised as full internationals by FIFA and/or the opponent country's football association.
Since 2006, the tournament has undergone various changes in name and sponsorship, and is now known as the "Asian Challenge Cup". In the most recent years, the event has had less importance, and the participants have all been clubs.
Year Winners Runners-Up 1908-73 interport and exhibition matches (see below) Lunar New Year Cup 1974 Hongkong Juventus (São Paulo) 1975-76 exhibition matches (see below) 1977 Sparta Rotterdam Hongkong 1978 China Servette FC 1979 Guangdong Östers IF 1980-81 exhibition matches (see below) 1982 Austria Wien 1-0 Hallelujah 1983 Hongkong League XI 2-0 Hallelujah 1984 Partizan Beograd 1-0 Hongkong League XI 1985 Combined British 1-0 League Selection 1986 Paraguay South Korea 1987 Brøndby IF 2-0 Hongkong 1988 Jolly Shandy XI 0-0 AGF (Aarhus) [5-3 pen] 1989 Malmö FF China Marlboro Cup 1990 Sparta Praha 2-0 China 1991 Hongkong League XI 3-1 Aston Villa FC 1992 Hongkong League XI 2-2 FK Partizan Beograd [3-2 pen] Carlsberg Cup 1993 Switzerland 3-2 Hongkong League XI 1994 Denmark 2-0 Hongkong League XI 1995 Yugoslavia 1-0 South Korea 1996 Sweden 1-1 Japan [5-4 pen] 1997 Russia 2-1 Switzerland 1998 Nigeria 2-0 Hongkong League XI 1999 Mexico 3-0 Egypt 2000 Czech Republic 2-1 Mexico 2001 Norway 2-1 Hongkong League XI 2002 Honduras 1-0 Hongkong League XI 2003 Uruguay 1-1 Iran [4-2 pen] 2004 Norway 3-1 Honduras 2005 Brazil 7-1 Hongkong 2006 Denmark 3-1 South Korea Lunar New Year Cup 2007 Jamaica Olympic 0-0 China Olympic [5-4 pen] 2008 Hongkong League XI 2-1 Hajduk Split 2009 South China/Pegasus XI 2-1 Sparta Praha 2010 Pohang Steelers Kitchee Asian Challenge Cup 2011 Tianjin Teda 0-0 Guangzhou Evergrande [5-3 pen]
3- 2-08 Hongkong FC 3-0 Shanghai FC (interport) 4- 2-08 Combined Services 1-0 Shanghai FC 1913 : (Shanghai vs Hongkong interport, in Shanghai) 1914-22 : regular league fixtures 20- 2-23 All Hongkong 0-3 All Shanghai (interport) 21- 2-23 South China 0-2 All Shanghai 22- 2-23 Combined Services 5-2 All Shanghai 5- 2-24 Hongkong FC 1-0 Shameen SC (Canton) 6- 2-24 South China 1-2 Army [Also Shanghai, Hongkong, and Hankou interport triangular, in Shanghai] 26- 1-25 All Hongkong 3-1 All Shanghai (interport) 28- 1-25 South China 3-2 All Shanghai 29- 1-25 Combined Services 1-3 All Shanghai 1926 : no games (Shanghai vs Hongkong interport, in Shanghai) 2- 2-27 All Hongkong 4-0 All Shanghai (interport) 3- 2-27 Southern China 4-1 Eastern China (Chinese interport) 4- 2-27 Combined Services 7-4 All Shanghai 5- 2-27 Combined Chinese 3-3 All Shanghai 1928 : no games (Shanghai vs Hongkong interport, in Shanghai) 11- 2-29 All Hongkong 3-0 All Shanghai (interport) 13- 2-29 Combined Chinese 3-5 All Shanghai 16- 2-29 Combined Services 2-1 All Shanghai 30- 1-30 Southern China 4-4 Eastern China (Chinese interport) 1- 2-30 Southern China 2-2 Eastern China (replay) 3- 2-30 Southern China 4-1 Eastern China (2nd replay) 18- 2-31 All Hongkong 3-4 All Shanghai (interport) 21- 2-31 Combined Chinese 0-1 All Shanghai 23- 2-31 Combined Services 5-1 All Shanghai 1932 : regular league fixtures 26- 1-33 All Hongkong 2-3 All Shanghai (interport) 28- 1-33 Combined Chinese 5-2 All Shanghai 29- 1-33 South China 6-0 Grupo Desportivo Argonauta (Macao Portuguese) 30- 1-33 Combined Services 4-1 All Shanghai 14- 2-34 South China 4-0 Lingnam University (Canton) 15- 2-34 St Joseph's 1-2 Lingnam University 18- 2-34 Combined Chinese 0-3 Rest of Hongkong [Also Shanghai, Hongkong, Tientsin interport triangular, in Shanghai] 4- 2-35 All Hongkong 7-1 All Shanghai (interport) 5- 2-35 Combined Chinese 2-2 All Shanghai 7- 2-35 Combined Services 5-7 All Shanghai 1936 : no games (Shanghai vs Hongkong interport, in Shanghai) 11- 2-37 All Hongkong 3-4 All Shanghai (interport) 13- 2-37 Combined Chinese 1-4 All Shanghai 14- 2-37 Southern China 5-1 Eastern China (interport - Lee Hy-San trophy) 15- 2-37 Combined Services 2-1 All Shanghai 17- 2-37 HKFA 6-0 Eastern China 31- 1-38 Chinese 3-0 Scottish (Sunday Herald International Charity Cup semifinal) 1- 2-38 South China "B" 1-0 Macau Artillery 2- 2-38 Eastern 3-0 Macau Artillery 19- 2-39 All Hongkong 4-1 All Manila (interport) 20- 2-39 Combined Chinese 5-3 All Manila 22- 2-39 Rest of Hongkong 4-3 All Manila 10- 2-40 All Hongkong 2-1 All Saigon (interport) 11- 2-40 South China 4-1 All Saigon 12- 2-40 Eastern 5-1 All Saigon 17- 2-40 Combined Chinese 4-3 All Saigon 27- 1-41 Army 4-1 Chinese (AET) (Lai Wah Cup semifinal) 28- 1-41 South China 3-1 Navy (Kotewall Cup) 2- 2-46 Combined Chinese - Rest of Hongkong 3- 2-46 Hongkong Island - Mainland 4- 2-46 Combined Services - Rest of Hongkong 23- 1-47 Combined Chinese 3-1 Royal Air Force (Memorial Cup 2nd round) 25- 1-47 All Hongkong 0-0 All Shanghai (interport) 26- 1-47 All Hongkong 4-2 All Shanghai (interport replay) 29- 1-47 Combined Services 3-1 All Shanghai 1- 2-47 Combined Chinese 0-1 All Shanghai 2- 2-47 HK/Shanghai Chinese 2-2 HK/Shanghai Non-Chinese 10- 2-48 All Hongkong 5-1 All Shanghai (interport) 11- 2-48 Combined Chinese 1-2 All Shanghai 14- 2-48 HK Non-Chinese 1-0 All Shanghai 17- 2-48 Sing Tao 4-1 Shanghai Chinese 29- 1-49 All Hongkong 3-1 All Saigon (interport) 30- 1-49 Combined Chinese 0-0 All Saigon 1- 2-49 HK Non-Chinese 1-5 All Saigon 17- 2-50 All Hongkong 5-2 All Burma (interport) 18- 2-50 Combined Chinese 4-3 All Burma 19- 2-50 All Hongkong 6-1 All Manila (interport) 20- 2-50 All Hongkong 4-2 All Burma 21- 2-50 Combined Chinese 1-1 All Manila 6- 2-51 Hongkong Selection 3-2 Boldklubben 1909 7- 2-51 All Hongkong 2-3 Boldklubben 1909 10- 2-51 Combined Chinese 0-3 Boldklubben 1909 21- 2-51 Combined HK/Kowloon 2-3 Boldklubben 1909 27- 1-52 All Hongkong 0-3 Akademisk Boldklub 28- 1-52 Hongkong Selection 0-3 Akademisk Boldklub 30- 1-52 Combined Chinese 1-4 Akademisk Boldklub 13- 2-52 HKFA XI 1-0 Akademisk Boldklub 14- 2-53 All Hongkong 2-3 Linzer ASK 16- 2-53 Hongkong Selection 5-2 Linzer ASK 17- 2-53 Combined Chinese 1-5 Linzer ASK 3- 2-54 All Hongkong 1-1 Køge BK 4- 2-54 Hongkong Selection 3-0 Køge BK 7- 2-54 Combined Chinese 2-0 Køge BK 24- 1-55 All Hongkong 0-1 Grasshopper Club Zürich 25- 1-55 Hongkong Selection 1-2 Grasshopper Club Zürich 27- 1-55 Combined Chinese 0-1 Grasshopper Club Zürich 14- 2-56 Combined Chinese 5-4 All Hongkong 31- 1-57 All Hongkong 1-1 India 2- 2-57 Hongkong Selection 1-2 India 3- 2-57 Combined Chinese 4-2 India 21- 2-57 Combined Chinese 2-3 India 18- 2-58 All Hongkong 3-2 South Korea 19- 2-58 Hongkong Selection 1-1 South Korea 22- 2-58 Combined Chinese 3-1 South Korea 4- 3-58 Combined Chinese 0-0 South Korea 8- 2-59 CAAF (Chinese) 4-3 HKFA (non-Chinese) (Governor's Cup 1st leg) 10- 2-59 Hongkong Chinese 6-1 Kowloon Chinese (Memorial Cup semifinal) 28- 1-60 All Hongkong 0-2 Peru XI (Deportivo Municipal and Sport Boys combined) 30- 1-60 Combined Chinese 1-3 Peru XI 3- 2-60 All Hongkong 1-2 Peru XI 10- 2-60 HKFA XI 2-1 Peru XI 12- 2-60 Combined Chinese 1-5 Peru XI 15- 2-61 All Hongkong 1-0 BSC Young Boys 16- 2-61 Hongkong Selection 5-2 BSC Young Boys 19- 2-61 Combined Chinese 0-6 BSC Young Boys 5- 2-62 Hongkong League XI 0-2 Örgryte IS 6- 2-62 Hongkong Selection 4-1 Örgryte IS 8- 2-62 Combined Chinese 5-0 Örgryte IS 25- 1-63 Hongkong League XI 3-2 West-Berlin XI 27- 1-63 Hongkong Selection 0-2 West-Berlin XI 30- 1-63 Combined Chinese 4-2 West-Berlin XI 13- 2-64 Hongkong 1-3 KB (København) 14- 2-64 Hongkong League XI 3-4 KB (København) 16- 2-64 Combined Chinese 2-3 KB (København) 2- 2-65 Hongkong League XI 1-3 B1909 (Odense) 4- 2-65 Hongkong 3-3 B1909 (Odense) 7- 2-65 Combined Chinese 1-5 B1909 (Odense) 21- 1-66 Hongkong League XI 2-0 OFK Beograd 23- 1-66 Hongkong 0-1 OFK Beograd 26- 1-66 Combined Chinese 0-3 OFK Beograd 9- 2-67 Hongkong League XI 1-2 TJ Sparta Praha 11- 2-67 Hongkong 3-4 TJ Sparta Praha 14- 2-67 Combined Chinese 2-4 TJ Sparta Praha 30- 1-68 Hongkong League XI 0-1 FC Lausanne-Sport 1- 2-68 Hongkong 2-2 FC Lausanne-Sport 4- 2-68 Combined Chinese 3-3 FC Lausanne-Sport 17- 2-69 Hongkong League XI 1-0 OB (Odense) 19- 2-69 Hongkong 1-1 OB (Odense) 22- 2-69 Combined Chinese 0-0 OB (Odense) 24- 2-69 Sing Tao 0-2 OB (Odense) 6- 2-70 Hongkong League XI 0-1 TJ Inter Bratislava 8- 2-70 Hongkong 2-6 TJ Inter Bratislava 11- 2-70 Combined Chinese 1-6 TJ Inter Bratislava 27- 1-71 Hongkong League XI 0-0 SV Wattens 29- 1-71 Hongkong 1-1 SV Wattens 31- 1-71 Combined Chinese 1-2 SV Wattens 15- 2-72 Hongkong League XI 0-3 Cruzeiro EC 18- 2-72 Hongkong 1-1 Cruzeiro EC 20- 2-72 Combined Chinese 0-2 Cruzeiro EC 23- 2-72 Hongkong Rangers 0-3 Cruzeiro EC 3- 2-73 Hongkong 0-11 SL Benfica 5- 2-73 H.K. Foreigners XI 1-3 SL Benfica 8- 2-73 Combined Chinese 1-5 SL Benfica 11- 2-75 Hongkong 0-0 CA Independiente (Avellaneda) 14- 2-75 Hongkong League XI 1-2 CA Independiente (Avellaneda) 17- 2-75 Hongkong Selection 1-2 CA Independiente (Avellaneda) 31- 1-76 Hongkong 0-3 Grasshopper Club Zürich 2- 2-76 Hongkong League XI 1-1 Grasshopper Club Zürich 5- 2-76 Hongkong Selection 0-1 Grasshopper Club Zürich 16- 2-80 Hongkong League XI 0-5 Crvena Zvezda Beograd 18- 2-80 Hongkong 0-4 Crvena Zvezda Beograd 5- 2-81 Hongkong League XI 1-4 Dinamo Zagreb 8- 2-81 Hongkong 1-3 Dinamo Zagreb
Thanks to "Tanaka" and Bojan Jovanovic
Prepared and maintained by Neil Morrison for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
Author: Neil Morrison
Last updated: 12 Jul 2017
(C) Copyright Neil Morrison and RSSSF 2000/17
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