Results in the Hong Kong Football Association Championship and Yau Yee League in the past week saw tightening of the leadership in the standings in most of the competitions’ divisions.
Significantly, in the HKFA Championship First Division, South China claimed top position in the standings, while the previous week’s leaders, Kitchee, had a bye. Meanwhile, in the YYL Division One, the previous week’s three-way tie was reduced to two following HKFC Wanderers’ defeat of club-mates Albion, who slipped to fifth.
Race Rages on in HKFA Championship
In Saturday (Oct 26) action in the Hong Kong Football Association Championship First Division, Sun Pegasus took the first division leadership for a day after a one-sided 6-nil thrashing of Tuen Mun. Goals to Aleksander Randelovic, Admir Rascic (two), Jaimes Mckee, Ju Yingzhi and Lee Wai-lun put Sun Pegasus ahead of Kitchee on goal difference, having played the same number of games.
Citizen overcame Happy Valley in a 3-2 victory. Citizen led 2-0 at half time through goals from Yuto Nakamura and Paulo Carreiro. Happy Valley replied through Leonardo Abalsamo in the 73rd minute, before Nakamura restored Citizen’s two goal lead in the 89th minute. Abalsamo scored his second for happy Valley in added on injury time.
In the day’s other game I-Sky Yuen long defeated Sunray Cave JC Sun Hei 3-1.
In Sunday’s games, South China managed to leapfrog over Sun Pegasus and Kitchee in the First Division title race with a last gasp penalty enabling them to win 2-1 against Yokohama FC (Hong Kong). Kwok Kin-pong opened the scoring for South China in the 61st minute before conceding an equaliser, when Wong Wei’s cross was turned into his own net by a South China defender. In stoppage time, Kwok Kin-pong was brought down in the penalty area and Manadou Barry scored the resulting penalty to reclaim the lead.
Meanwhile, BC Rangers drew 1-all with Eastern Salon. BC Rangers, starting brightly, scored an early third minute strike from Tales Schultz. Eastern Salon eventually equalised in stoppage time when Leung Kwok-wai sent a powerful header into the goal from a Manoel Santos cross.
South China now lead the table on 14 points, one ahead of both Sun Pegasus and Kitchee, though having played two more games than those other teams.
In the HKFA Second Division two points separate the top four teams after each gained a victory over the weekend: Tai Chung defeated Tuen Mun 4-0; Lucky Mile defeated Wing Yee 1-0; Wong Tai Sin defeated Shatin 2-1; Kwai Tsing were beaten 3-1 by HKFC; Double Flower beat Kwun Tong 1-0; and Woo foo Tai Po thrashed Wanchai 6-0.
These results leave HKFC top of the table on 15 points, one point ahead of Woo Foo Tai Po and Wong Tai Sin, with Tai Chung a further point behind.
In the early game at Sports Road a very direct and positive Wing Yee had the upper hand during most of the first half. Lucky Mile can consider themselves fortunate that their goalkeeper, Paul Ting, pulled off a number of point blank saves to keep them in the game. He was helped by some wayward finishing from the Wing Yee forwards on some of the rebounds from those saves. The first half ended with neither side on the scoreboard.
The second half was a little better for Lucky Mile and, after 12 minutes, a corner from the left was knocked to the far post, where it was headed back across the goal and Stewart McInnes headed in from virtually the goal line. Lucky Mile was held out by some desperate Wing Yee defence, though they did manage to create few chances of their own.
The Third Division saw Yau Tsim Mong, Metro Gallery Sun Source and Sham Shui Po maintain their positions after the first two each won their respective games—while Sham Shui Po drew with Kowloon City nil-all; Yau Tsim Mong defeated Fu Moon 7-2; Metro Gallery Sun Source defeated On Good 3-0. This means that Yau Tsim Mong lead the table on 19 points, one ahead of Metro Gallery Sun Source, with Sham Shui Po four points further behind.
The Fourth Division is now led by Sai Kung with 12 points after their 3-1 defeat of Tung Sing. With a game in hand, GFC Friends are two points behind in second place after their 1-0 victory over Fukien. On the same points with GFC Friends, previous leaders, Ornament are third on goal difference after their 1-all draw with Lung Moon.
Wanderers and USRC Lead Yau Yee League
The Yau Yee League Division One title race remains tight after the weekend’s action.
The main game was the top of the table clash between the two HKFC sides at Sports Road. In a typically tight derby there were few chances and little goalmouth action with both sides giving no quarter. One of the few chances in the first half saw Albion goalkeeper Jamie Devonshire pull off a fine save from Wanderers Scott Hooper’s drive. The first half ended at 0-all.
After a robust half-time talk from manager Neil Jensen, Wanderers started the second half with greater urgency. They took the lead within a minute of kick off, when Neil Shonhard ran on to an intelligent pass to sweep a left-foot shot from the left edge of the box, past the diving Devonshire, and into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal. Wanderers sealed the victory in the 15th minute of the second half, when Danny Beattie scored to make the result 2-0.
Meanwhile, in other games, USRC defeated GAS 3-1; Colts were beaten 2-1 by KCC Dragons; Swiss XI defeated Squadron 4-1; and Spartans defeated Interglob Colloids 4-2.
Wanderers and USRC now lead the table on 14 points, one point ahead of KCC Dragons, with Swiss XI now up to fourth on 12 and Albion one point further back on 11.
In Division Two of the YYL, The Store House Hearts drew 1-1 with Galloping Gweilos to lose their 100 per cent win record, but still head the table on 16 points; one point ahead of Mobsters, who defeated White Youth 4-1; with Azzurri one point further behind, after their 3-0 win over Oxford.
In Division Three, HKU70’s were joined in the leadership by WYFC06 after the former’s 3-all draw with CAPS and the latter’s 2-0 defeat of University.
In the Division Four, IES maintained top spot despite a 1-all draw with Rising Sun to lead on 16 points; one point ahead of Power 22, 4-0 victors over HKSS.
