Results in the limited number of games in the weekend’s Hong Kong Football Association Championship saw the leadership teams in the First Division standings trade places, with Kitchee reclaiming the lead ahead of South China.
Meanwhile, the Yau Yee League replaced the league’s regular matches with the Cup competition where the first division teams joined the draw in the second round.
HKFA Championship
There were fewer Hong Kong Football Association Championship First Division games over the weekend due to the start of the Canbo Senior Shield. Meanwhile, the imbalance in the number of games played this season continues to be a factor in determining the standings.
In Sunday (Nov3) action, Kitchee claimed the leadership after a scrappy 1-nil defeat of Royal Southern on a poor pitch covered in sand. The result was achieved through a 5th minute penalty converted by Jorge Tarres. Kitchee after playing six games now lead South China by one point and Sun Pegasus by three points—South China have played seven games and Sun Pegasus five.
Eastern Salon overcame Happy Valley in a 2-0 victory. Eastern Salon led 1-0 at half time after Clayton Afonso sent a powerful header into the net from a corner in the 37th minute. Tse Man-wing sealed the win in the second half when his shot from outside the penalty box in the 80th minute found the net. Easton Salon has played seven games so far this season and sit fourth in the rankings.
In Saturday’s game at Mongkok Stadium, Sunray Cave JC Sun Hei overcame Tuen Mun 2-1 after extra time. Sunray Cave JC Sun Hei opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Reinaldo Peres scored from Mirko Teodoric’s corner and led 1-0 at half time. Tuen Mun equalised in the 59th minute when Daniel Sanchez’s cross was knocked in by Ling Chong. Despite subsequent chances at either end the game at ended normal time 1-all leading to extra time. The game was eventually settled when Reinaldo Peres again profited from a cross from Mirko Teodoric by heading in at the far post in the 111th minute.
Meanwhile, Sun Pegasus and Yokohama FC (HK) played in a Canbo Senior Shield game, with Sun Pegasus winning 4-1 on Sunday. Admir Racsic opened the scoring in the 25th minute for Sun Pegasus when he took a pass from Ju Yingzhi before beating the goalkeeper. Racsic doubled the lead in first half stoppage time, after heading in Jaimes Mckee’s cross. Kenji Fukada pulled a goal back for Tuen Mun, before Sun Pegasus restored their two goal advantage in the 67th minute – McKee headed in a Michael Campion cross and then Mckee wrapped up the game with another goal late in the game to move Sun Pegasus into the next round.
In the HKFA Second Division the competition for the top position remains close. In Saturday night’s derby at Sports Road, leaders HKFC defeated Lucky Mile 3-0 in a game controlled by HKFC. Rob Scott opened the scoring in the 29th minute when he beat three defenders on the left hand side en route to the penalty box and then firing past goalkeeper Paul Ting. HKFC extended their lead in the 39th minute when a hopeful punt into the box was met by their centre back and looped over goalkeeper Ting into the net. HKFC went into the half-time break with a 2-0 lead and added a third goal in the second half to run out deserved winners.
In other games, Woo Foo Tai Po thrashed Tuen Mun7-1; Wing yee held Wong Tai Sin to a 1-all draw; Kwun Ton defeated Tai Chung 2-1; and Shatin and Double Flower drew 2-all.
HKFC now lead the division on 18 points, one point ahead of Woo Foo Tai Po,with Wong Tai Sin a further two points adrift. The top 7 of the 12 teams in the competition have all played seven games, making any game’s played imbalance factor unimportant.
Yau Tsim Mong and Metro Gallery Sun Source continue to head the Third Division after both winning their games 3-0, beating Telecom and Kowloon City respectively. The undefeated Yau Tsim Mong leads the division having won seven games and drawn one—against the third-placed Mutual. Of the eight games played this season, Metro Gallery Sun Source have lost just one match—to Yau Tsim Mong last month.
The Fourth Division is now led by GFC Friends after their 2-0 defeat of last week’s leaders Sai Kung to leapfrog them by one point in the table. Ornament are a further point behind after their 0-all draw with Tung Sing.
Yau Yee League
The Yau Yee League Cup second round took place instead of the league this weekend, where 13 of the 16 matches were completed. There were few upsets and, generally, the higher ranked team prevailed over their lower division opponents.
Wanderers, GAS, KCC Dragons, Antonhill, The Store House Squadron, Colts, Albion, French Kiss and USRC from Division One all progressed to the third round. Wanderers and The Store House Squadron accounted for their fellow Division One opponents Baker Tilly Spartans and Interglobo Colloids respectively—Wanderers by 2-0 and Squadron 5-4 on penalties after a 2-all draw being fought out in normal time. The outstanding three second round matches will be played on Tuesday.
