Tsang Kam To (born 21 June 1989) is a former Hong Kong professional footballer who played as a full back. He has represented Hong Kong in international competitions since childhood. In 2009, he won a gold medal at the East Asian Games as a member of the Hong Kong national under-23 football team.
Known for his versatility, he played as forward when he played for Hong Kong 08. He is adept at different position including wingback and winger. For the Hong Kong under-23 football team, he occasionally plays at centre-back.
Early life
Tsang Kam To was born in Hong Kong, and went to St.Patrick's Catholic Primary School in Wang Tau Hom. He has started playing football in there in his third year. He showed his talent on the school team, and he captained it in his fifth and sixth years in school.
During his last year in primary school he was selected by Hong Kong Football Association to train with the Hong Kong under-14 team. He had his secondary education in POH Chan Kai Memorial College, Sha Tin.
Club career
Early career
Because of his early international career, he was a member of the long-term training section for 2009 East Asian Games. The Football Association signed him for the newly founded Hong Kong First Division League club "Hong Kong 08" with other members of training section for the 2008 Olympic Games because of his good performance in Hong Kong 09. In his early years, he mostly played as a striker. In the league match against Lanwa Redbull on 17 September 2006, the second league match of Tsang Kam To's senior career, he scored his first league goal in the 18th minute. He played 18 matches and had 2 goals in 2006–07 season.
After 2008 Summer Olympics qualification, Hong Kong 08 had been dissolved. Another new first division team Workable contracted former Olympics team members including Tsang Kam To. In Workable, for his high-speed, coach Lee Kin Wo has changed his position from striker to wingback. He was the regular player of the team and he played 21 matches in 2007–08 season.
Kitchee
Tsang Kam To's performance impressed the football world of Hong Kong and he agreed a deal to sign for Kitchee in the summer of 2008. He scored his first goal for Kitchee in his first appearance of the team in a league match against Xiangxue Eisiti on 28 February 2009. He was mainly used as a substitute in the 2008–09 season since captain Leung Chi Wing, Canadian Landon Ling and Cameroonian Hugues Nanmi occupied the wingback positions of two sides. In the following season, all three wingbacks left the club but Josep Gombau, the new coach, selected centre-back Li Hang Wui for the position, leaving Tsang Kam To as a substitute for most matches.
In the summer in 2010, Kitchee planned to loan Tsang Kam To to Tai Chung, giving him more chances to play football. However, Tsang Kam To performed wonderfully in pre-season friendly matches and manager Ken Ng cancelled the plan. During the 2010–11 season, Tsang Kam To still mostly acted as a substitute of his teammates but he was also used in the 2011 Canon Cup match against Villarreal.
Because Kitchee had won the 2010–11 Hong Kong First Division League, Tsang Kam To had had a chance to participate in the 2011 Barclays Asia Trophy. He started in both the semi-final match against Chelsea and third place play-off against Blackburn Rovers. In the third place play-off, Tsang Kam To was fouled by Martin Olsson in the penalty box and a penalty kick was awarded, though Ubay Luzardo missed the penalty. Kitchee got the wooden spoon.
On 23 October 2011, Tsang Kam To came off the substitutes bench as a winger in the 73rd minute to assist a crucial equaliser against TSW Pegasus in the 83rd minute and score inside the penalty area in the 86th minute, defeating TSW Pegasus by 3–2. Tsang Kam To claim his sense of striker still strongly exist and he want to prove that Hong Kong footballers can feel up to be a shooter in the team. Tsang Kam To always have training for shoot frequently to convince Josep Gombau to select him as a forward.
Tsang Kam To had more opportunities to play in the field later. He played the Hong Kong derby winning by two goals with Kitchee in 2011–12 Hong Kong FA Cup. He also played four 2012 AFC Cup group stage matches against Terengganu, Sông Lam Nghệ An and Tampines Rovers and Kitchee finally won the first place in the stage. In the final fixture of the league, Kitchee beat Biu Chun Rangers by 4–1 and Tsang Kam To scored in the 11th minute.