I didn't have time to issue a World Football Wednesday this week so here is WFW on a Friday!!
FOOTBALL IN REGGIO CALABRIA HAS BEEN A TOPSY TURVY AFFAIR OVER THE LAST DECADE
Football in the Southern Italy City of Reggio Calabria has been a real up and down affair over the last decade or so. 'Reggina Calcio' played for nine seasons in Serie A between 1999 and 2009 which included a point's deduction in the 06/07 season following the Calciopoli Investigations.
Following a drop into Serie B in 2009 they went down a further step to the third tier for the 14/15 campaign. At the end of that season the club was declared bankrupt and 'ASD Reggio Calabria' were formed to play in the Fourth Tier for the 15/16 campaign. Despite losing in the play-offs they were accepted into Serie C for the 16/17 season and were promoted back to the Serie B in 2020.
Two further name changes have happened over the past few seasons - 'Urbs Reggina 1914' from 2016 to 2019 and 'Reggina 1914' from 2019.
The club finished in 7th place of Serie B last season losing in the play-offs but were excluded from the second tier for the 23/24 season due to financial irregularities.
A new club has been formed to be named 'La Fenice Amaranto' ('The Phoenix') and have been accepted into Serie D - albeit they will apparently start in week 4 of Group I. They have been granted a few weeks to sign players and get things sorted both on and off the pitch.
HONG KONG BIG WINNERS IN INTERNATIONAL WEEK
Hong Kong hadn't won in six games going into their game with Brunei on Monday - they came back to winning ways in a big way by running in three goals in the first half and further seven in the second. The team are currently coached by Norwegian Jørn Andersen who previously coached North Korea from 2016 to 2018.
Amongst the goal scorers were Brazilian born player's Everton Camargo (2), Helio and Fernando who now have full residency after playing football and living in Hong Kong for a number of years.
They are currently FIFA ranked 145 with their next games being a very important Asian World Cup 2026 First Qualifying Round games - they face Bhutan (185) over two legs in October. The winner joins the Round Two group stage alongside higher ranked sides such as Australia and Saudi Arabia.
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS WIN THEIR FIRST GAME SINCE JULY 2012
The British Virgin Islands International team's 3-1 victory over The Turks & Caicos Islands in the CONCACAF Nations League Group B was their first since their 1-0 win over Anguilla in 2012. That was in a friendly game - you have to go back to 2004 for a competitive victory when they won 0-2 in Bermuda in a Caribbean Cup game!
The Nature Boys are coached by former QPR, Ipswich Town and Arsenal player Chris Kiwomya. Two of their goals were scored by 19 year old midfielder Luka Chalwell who signed a two year contract with Vanarama National League side Eastleigh this summer after playing for Christchurch in the Wessex League last season.
Also in the line up for BVI were Josh Bertie of Winchester City, T'Sharne Gallimore of Chesham United and Miguel Marshall who made a few appearances for Poole Town u23 last season - I'm unsure what club he is playing for at the moment - Most websites list Poole Town but I can't confirm it at this time of writing.
Tyler Forbes who was with Weymouth last season and Jaden Abrams, who is only 16 years old and plays for Virgin Gorda United, were also in the starting line up.
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