Hong Kong, Sep 12 (TIWN) Taking the city's months of demonstrations into the sports realm, thousands of Hong Kong spectators booed loudly and turned their backs when the Chinese national anthem was played at the first home game of Hong Kong's World Cup 2022 qualifying campaign against Iran.

An hour before the 8pm (1200GMT) kick-off against Asia's top side Iran, spectators made their uphill journey to the stadium chanting "Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong".  Many of them traded their signature black T-shirts, a protest uniform of sorts, for red jerseys, belting out "Glory be to thee, Hong Kong", a stirring song crowd-composed online that, over the past two weeks, has emerged as a battle hymn and protest anthem.