Oyuntuya Becomes First Mongolian to Join Hong Kong club

Image property of Sham Shui Po SA

20-year-old Mongolian midfielder Oyunbold Oyuntuya has made history as the first Mongolian player to join a club in Hong Kong by signing for Premier League club Sham Shui Po SA earlier this month. He has already made his league debut, coming on as a substitute and playing twenty-six minutes in a 0-10 drumming by Kitchee SC on 18 September.

Sham Shui Po SA was founded in 2002 and is based in the Sham Shui Po district. The club finished second in the Hong Kong First Division last season and were promoted to the Premier League for the first time for the 2022/23 campaign.

Oyuntuya began his football career with Mongolian Dream FC. In 2019 he was part of the squad that finished third in the inaugural season of the Mongolian Second League. His seven goals over the short season was tied for second-most in the league. Following the season he was loaned out to SP Falcons for one year.

In March 2021 Oyuntuya returned to SP Falcons, signing a 5-year, senior contract. He got his first taste of top-flight football in the second-half of the 21/22 Mongolian Premier League season. He tallied four goals and another four assists by the end of the campaign..

The player was also a standout star in the National Futsal League with Mongolian Dream FC. He was the league's top scorer in 2020. His seventy-three goal total that year earned him the Best Male Futsal Player award at the Mongolian Football Federation's Golden Ball Awards.

At the international level Oyuntuya appeared in qualification for both the 2020 AFC U19 Championship and the 2023 AFC U23 Asian Cup. Over his combined six appearances, he has scored three goals including a brace against Guam U19 and a strike against Laos U23.

He made his senior international debut during the March 2022 international window, first appearing in a friendly against Laos on the 23rd before playing against Bangladesh six days later. He made his competitive debut in Mongolia's final match of 2023 Asian Cup qualification as Ganbold Ganbayar scored his first two senior international goals in the 2-0 victory.

As one of an ever-increasing number of Mongolians abroad, Oyuntuya has risen to prominence quickly and will likely pave the way for more Mongolians to play in the fellow EAFF member league.