It also exemplified the determination and fighting spirit of So, who had looked like she would struggle to continue after a first-half incident where a fierce opposition shot inadvertently hit her in the head.

However, after recuperating on the sidelines, So was assessed to be fine to rejoin proceedings and the superb goal marked a memorable tournament debut for the 25-year-old, even if Vietnam eventually emerged victorious with a 5-3 scoreline.

“When I got injured, I was afraid that I could not carry on, but after a while I felt that I was able to do so and I told the coach that I wanted to continue and I was very happy to score after that,” she told the-AFC.com.

“It is such a shame that we lost the game after managing to come back from 3-1 down. Our head coach had told us at half-time to play like it was still 0-0 and when we equalised, we felt hopeful of being able to go on and win. I felt that we did not start the game well and we can improve on that.”

The emotions spilled over at the full-time whistle as several of the players shed tears, underlining the significance of Hong Kong, China’s qualification to this competition for a third time.

So explained that as there is no women’s futsal league back home, most of the squad members ply their trade at the 11-a-side level for both club and country. Furthermore, nine of them, including herself, are playing at their first major tournament Finals.

“We all need to balance and manage our time well to juggle football with futsal training, and we have all put in plenty of effort to be here for the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup,” she said. 

“I feel very honoured to play here and when we were walking onto the court, I told a teammate that it is a dream to be able to be at this stage. I really enjoyed being able to play in the match earlier; the feeling of being able to do so at this level is incomparable. I was a little nervous at the start, so it did affect my performance in the first half.”

The presence of veterans like Ng Cheuk Wai, Wong So Han and Wong Shuk Fan - a legend in Hong Kong, China - who are all playing in their third tournament has proved helpful, with So noting that their advice and encouragement are invaluable.

A tenacious and tireless player who can be deployed on either flank in both defence and midfield at 11-a-side level, So started playing football at a young age in the Sha Tin neighbourhood where she grew up.

After continuing to play in primary school, So quickly progressed in the sport and was called up by the national team. The diminutive defender was part of their Qualifiers campaigns for the AFC U-16 Women’s Championship 2013 and AFC U-19 Women’s Championship 2015 and 2017, and made her senior debut in 2018; with over 10 caps, So has participated in the AFC Qualifiers for the 2020 and 2024 Olympics.

She joined her first club, Happy Valley AA, in 2018 and won two league titles before signing for Kitchee SC in 2021, with the club lifting their third consecutive league crown in 2024/25.

Determined to forge a career in football after graduating from university in mid 2023, So juggles training with work as a football coach. She also spent a season with FC Zebra Iwate Ladies in the regional Tohoku Women’s Football League - effectively the Japanese fourth tier - from March to October 2024, before rejoining Kitchee.

Donning the national team jersey remains a huge source of pride for So, who hopes to do so for many more years.

“Our team hopes to be able to qualify for the knockout stage here in Hohhot,” she said.
“As for myself, I hope to be able to continue to play both futsal and football for the coming years, because being able to represent Hong Kong, China at international level is an honour for me.”