There were just three games in the top division of the Hong Kong Football Association Championship this week, though two of which impacted the leading positions in the championship.
Meanwhile, in the Yau Yee League the past week generally saw the leaders extend their leads in the standings in most of the competition’s divisions.
Yau Yee League
The Yau Yee League Division One title race remains close after the weekend’s action.
USRC retained the lead with a 2-1 win over The Store House Squadron; Wanderers kept up the pressure with a 3-2 win over KCC Dragons, their prior nearest rivals; Albion won 3-1 against Colts; GAS won 1-0 against Baker Tilly Spartans; and Swiss XI won 4-0 against Antonhill.
USRC, on 23 points, now lead Wanderers by two points—with a further gap between the other teams in the league. This now points toward a major contest between the two teams on Dec 8 leading into the half way stage and the Christmas break.
Meanwhile in Sunday’s game at Sports Road, where the HKFC Wanderers, after appearing to have gained early control, won the closely fought game over KCC Dragons.
Neil Shonhard starred in a fairly open game, with Wanderers taking the lead in the 14th minute. A long through ball over the top from Paul Jarrett caught KCC defence stranded on the half-way line appealing for offside, Shonhard ran on to collect the ball midway into the KCC half and run unchecked into the box. Shonhard’s shot was parried by the advancing keeper, but he followed up to force the ball over the line.
In the 23rd minute, Wanderers worked the ball across to the right hand side quickly to the on running Simon Galvin, who side footed across the goalkeeper and towards the far post. It was Shonhard again who followed up to knock the ball into an empty net.
A similar move followed in the 26th minute where Galvin’s ball to Jarrett on the right hand side led to a first time cross which was met by a Shonhard volley saved by the keeper’s feet to deny Shonhard his hat trick.
However, in the 36th minute, Jarrett took a ball to the dead ball line in the left hand side of the box and chipped to the far post, where the goalkeeper could only push the ball up and fall, for the waiting Shonhard to finish for his hat trick. This gave the Wanderers a commanding 3-0 half time lead.
In the second half, KCC Dragons came out looking to get back into the game. After 53 minutes KCC won a corner, which the Wanderers defenders headed clear to the edge of the box, where the KCC left fullback volleyed powerfully straight back over goalkeeper James Seddon’s head and into the roof of the net.
In the 65th minute KCC Dragons were awarded a disputed penalty for a foul by Anthony Sassi, duly converted by Luca Merlone.
Both sides continued to press for another goal but few clear chances were created and Wanderers held on for the win.
Albion’s local derby with Colts was the normal tightly contested affair. Albion took the lead in the 23rd minute, when Albion’s Marc Huff drove a loose ball past Colts goalkeeper Freddie Toomer into the far left corner of the net. However, Colts quickly equalised three minutes later.
Albion re-took the lead in the 34th minute, when Fiedler’s shot was parried by Toomer, only for Huff, following up to slot the ball into the net and take a 2-1 lead into the half time break.
A heavy storm and downpour changed the nature of the second half and restricted the football and chances for both teams.
However, after Colts had pressed for the equaliser, a quick break from Albion in the 88th minute caught out the Colts defence. The ball was swept to Huff who drove past the onrushing Toomer for his, and Albion’s, third to decide the game 3-1.
In Division Two of the YYL, The Store House Hearts still lead the division on 23 points after their 0-all draw with Yan Po; two points ahead of HKDC Mobsters, who won 1-0 against KCC Knights.
In Division Three, HKU70’s remained joined in the leadership with WYFC06, after the former’s 3-1 win against HKUSA and the latter’s 6-1 win over Scorpions, leaving both teams tied on 23 points. A large 8 point gap remains between them and University in third.
In Division Four, IES maintained top spot—now on 25 points—after prevailing in a 3-0 win against previous closest rivals Power22. They are now joined in promotion contention by Youth Coaches on 19 points after their 6-1 win against Barclays. Rising Sun are a point further back on 18 points after a 1-0 win against HKSS.
HKFA Championship
On Saturday (Nov 23), the Hong Kong Football Association Championship First Division game between Kitchee and I-Sky Yuen Long saw Kitchee return to the top of the table after their 2-0 win. A Juan Belencoso brace saw them move five points ahead of South China.
After I-Skyline Yuen Long had managed to frustrate Kitchee, Belancoso opened the scoring in the 79th minute, when he latched onto a pass from Lam Ka Wai to fire into the net. Belancoso scored his, and his side’s, second six minutes later to seal the win for Kitchee. Kitchee lead the table on 19 points.
In Sunday’s game, Eastern Salon leapfrogged South China into second place in the table, four points behind Kitchee and one point ahead of South China. Easton Salon’s 3-2 win over Sunray Cave JC Sun Hei ensured that the battle at the top of the standings remains tight.
Eastern Salon opened the lead in the 4th minute when Afonso Clayton converted Li Hai quangs corner. Sunray Cave JC Sun Hei equalised in the 18th minute when Michel Lugo finished from Mirko Teodorovic’s corner. In the 40th minute Michel Lugo’s solo effort put Sunray Cave JC Sun Hei into the lead before the break.
Eatern Salon equalised in the 51st minute when Manoel Santos curled a free kick into the net past Sunray Cave JC Sun Hei’s goalkeeper Wong Tsz-him. In the 69th minute Eastern Salon regained the lead when Giovane da Silva scored to win the game.
The other First Division match on the weekend was between mid-tabled Royal Southern and BC Rangers. The former won 2-1.
In HKFA Second Division, the leadership changed hands after Woo Foo Tai Po won 3-0 against Kwai Tsing to lead the table on 23 points. Woo Foo Tai Po capitalised on the previous leaders HKFC’s 1-all draw with Shatin to leapfrog them and head them by one point.
Meanwhile, Wong Tai Sin kept in contention, a further point and place behind, after a 2-1 win over Tuen Mun. Also, Double Flower won 2-1 against Wanchai and Wing Yee drew 1-all with Kwun Tong.
In Sunday’s early Second Division game, played Sports Road, Tai Chung controlled the game with Lucky Mile from the start to win 3-1.
Tai Chung were awarded a soft penalty in the 28th minute, which was duly dispatched to the high right side of the net for a one goal lead, which stood until half time. Tai Chung doubled the lead three minutes into the second half, when good inter-passing to their right midfielder who rounded the goalkeeper, Paul Ting, to side foot into an open goal. Six minutes later the same player scored again from a similar move, but this time beat Ting by a drive into the near post of the goal. Although Lucky Mile pulled a goal back in the last minute it was too little to late.
The Third Division saw Yau Tsim Mong extend their lead over Metro Gallery Sun Source. Yau Tsim Mong won 2-1 against Eastern District, while Metro Gallery Sun Source were held to a 1-all draw by Sham Shui Po. Yau Tsim Mong lead the table on 31 points, with Metro Gallery Sun Source second on 28 points.
