An announcement was eventually made over the public address system about 20 minutes after the scheduled 7:45 pm kick-off, apologizing for the delay and saying it "was due to an issue behind the scenes. We're trying to resolve it and we'll keep you updated".

To pass more time, music was pumped from the speakers. Players from both teams finally emerged onto the field about 40 minutes after the match was supposed to begin.

The players warmed up again for 10 minutes before they returned inside the tunnel to be led out again for the national anthems.

About the broadcaster:

Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.

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