HONG KONG—Premier Division action at King’s Park on Sunday Oct 23 produced three thrilling matches.
HKCC vs Khalsa
In the 2nd match, HKCC-A took on league leaders Khalsa-A.HKCC-A have added some good players to their squad and have played good matches this year they had a close game against HKFC-A so it was interesting to see how they would match against Khalsa.
Khalsa started the game as if it was going to be an easy win, slotting home their first goal in the 2nd minute of play from a penalty corner, but an easy game it was not. HKCC hit back almost immediately from a penetrating hit into the Khalsa goal area deflected into the goal at the far post by Siu Chun Ming. They followed this up with another near miss.
The game progressed at 1-1 until just before half time when Khalsa were awarded a series of penalty corners, they missed with the 1st two attempts but with the 3rd, slotted the ball past the HKCC goalie just inside the post to the goalie’s left.
Although HKCC were 70 per cent under attack, they were solid in defence and constructive in moving the ball up-field. HKCC scored to equalise at 2-2, 13 minutes into the 2nd period, but 7 minutes later Khalsa again pushed in front from a penalty corner, when HKCC were reduced to 10 men.
KNS vs SSSC
The final match of the afternoon was KNS-A against SSSC-A and as might be expected for two teams high up in the standings it would be a close match. With both teams comprised of top Asian players the game was fast moving with superbly accurate passing, skillful stick-work with amazing close play to avoid attackers, while at the same time quick to retreat when under attack and usually able to snatch the ball off the predators. This all added up to a super spectacle for the sizable crowd in attendance.
SSSC-A gained a penalty stroke after several heroic saves by the KNS goalie, scoring from the spot with 11 minutes of the 1st half remaining.
In the 2nd half SSSC started to move ahead in both attacking and defending and the break came with a solo goal by Mandeep Singh who received the ball in his own half, ran up-field rounding 2 defenders before hitting a superb reverse stick shot into the top corner of the KNS goal for a 3-2 lead. Then later in the game livewire Mohammad Bashir jinxed his way into the KNS goal area to hammer in goal number 3. Making the final result 3-0 to SSSC-A.
