HONG KONG—This weekend saw the return of a round of the BOCG Life HKFA Premier League with Saturday (Dec 12) featuring the clash between Glory Sky Wong Tai Sin and Kitchee at Hammer Hill Park Sports Ground, and BC Rangers playing against Kwoon Chung Southern at Kowloon Bay Park, and Sunday (Dec 13) featuring the clash between South China and Dreams Metro Gallery at Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground, and the clash between Yuen Long and Eastern at Yuen Long Stadium.
Saturday’s (Dec12) first game between Glory Sky Wong Tai Sin and Kitchee ended in a nil-all draw, with Kitchee left to rue their inability to make up ground on the league leaders. Saturday’s other game between BC Rangers and Kwoon Chung Southern also ended nil-all, but had fewer goal-scoring opportunities than the earlier game.
In Sunday’s first game, South China ended up defeating Dreams Metro Gallery 4-nil with all of the goals coming in the second half. South China opened the scoring in the 58th minute when Luiz Viera scored after Liang Zicheng had headed the ball back to him from Chung Kin-fung’s corner. Viera making up for having had his penalty kick four minutes earlier saved by Dreams Metro Gallery goalkeeper Pang Tsz-kin. South China doubled their lead in the 71st minute when Awal Mahama scored from Chan Siu-ki’s pass. Manoel Santos added a third in the 85th minute from Chan Siu-ki’s pass, and Awal Mahama scored the fourth in the time added on.
In Sunday’s other game, Eastern were 6-1 victors over Yuen Long, with Diego Moreira heading in Xu Deshuai’s free kick from the right hand side of the pitch for the early lead. Eastern doubled their lead in the 31st minute when Giovane Da Silva broke through and reached the edge of the penalty box before firing home to take a 2-nil lead to the half-time break.
Andrew Barisic added a third in the 54 minute when he finished from a Lee Hong-lim cross, and Giovane Da Silva scored a penalty in the 69th minute, before Park Chanjung pulled a goal back for Yuen Long in the 74th minute. However, Eastern bounced back with Giovane Da Silva squaring for Andrew Barisic to score his second and Eastern’s fifth in the 89th minute, and Giovane Da Silva finalising the result in stoppage time with his hat-trick and a 6-1 Eastern victory.
Eastern head the BOCG Life HKFA Premier League standing with 16 points from 6 games, with South China with a 100% record and 15 points from 5 games, Dreams Metro Gallery in third place with10 points from 7 games, Hong Kong Pegasus fourth with 9 points from 6 games, and Kitchee in fifth with 8 points from 5 games.
In the first division, HKFC were 2-nil victors over Tai Chung in Saturday night’s fixture, Wanchai were 1-nil winners against Metro Gallery Sun Source, Yau Tsim Mong won 4-1 against Kwun Tong, Tai Po won 6-1 against Kwai Tsing, and Lucky Mile were beaten 4-1 by Citizen.
Tai Po lead the table with 31 points from 13 games, with Citizen second with 28 points, HKFC third with 27 points, Sun Hei fourth with 26 points, and Yau Tsim Mong fifth with 25 points, though Yau Tsim Mong have a game in hand.
Yau Yee League
The Yau Yee League switched to the second round of the Yau Yee League Cup, with the higher division teams generally prevailing in their matches against lower division teams. Boca Seniors were one team that caused an upset with a 2-1 win against first division Baker Tilly Spartans, whilst GAS had an emphatic 7-1 win over fellow first division team HKDC Mobsters, and The Store House Squadron prevailed 2-1 against Colts in the other all first division match.
Allan Jackson has been involved in soccer for more than 40 years as a player, referee, administrator and freelance writer.
