Kitchee met up with Lee Man in Mong Kok Stadium on Sunday afternoon for the 2023-24 Boc Life Hong Kong Premier League clash. Lee Man beat Kitchee by 3:2.
Kitchee met up with Lee Man in Mong Kok Stadium on Sunday afternoon for the 2023-24 Boc Life Hong Kong Premier League clash. Lee Man beat Kitchee by 3:2.
Lee Man opened the match with a slight advantage. Just two minutes into the game, Wong Wai managed to connect with Henri Anier's pass, unleashing a shot from outside the box, only to be thwarted by the alert goalkeeper.
The 13th minute marked a shift in the momentum with Kitchee on the offensive. Cleiton Velasques dispossessed Wu Chun Ming, delivering the ball to the unmarked Walter Junior. Despite a powerful strike from inside the box, the shot narrowly veered off target.
The deadlock was broken at the 25-minute mark when Lee Man seized the lead. Following a successful tackle from Sedin Ramic, Henri Anier embarked on a surging run into the box, coolly slotting the ball past the goalkeeper with his left foot, putting his team 1:0 up.
Lee Man expanded their lead by the 40th minute. An exquisite through-ball from Martins Givanilton set up Tachibana Royoya for a one-on-one opportunity. He skillfully found the back of the net, doubling the lead to 2:0.
Just before halftime, the resurgent Lee Man added another to their tally. The unmarked Henri Anier effortlessly converted Everton Camargo's cross from the left flank, giving Lee Man a commanding 3:0 lead at the halftime.
Down but not out, Kitchee rallied in the second half, introducing Igor Igor Sartori to bolster their attack. The substitution paid off on the 68th minute when Igor Sartori's cross from the right was met by Mikael Burkatt, who deftly tucked the ball into the net, reducing the deficit to 1:3.
Kitchee continued their comeback just two minutes later when Igor Sartori's corner kick found Mikael Burkatt amidst a crowded box. He headed home his second of the match, closing the gap to 2:3.
Lee Man attempted to restore their comfortable lead, but Mitchel Paulissen's long-range effort narrowly cleared the crossbar after latching onto Everton Camargo's pass.
The closing stages saw Kitchee pushing for an equalizer. In the 84th minute, Igor Sartori's direct free kick narrowly missed the target. Subsequently, Helio Goncalves's header from Roberto Orlando’s pass found its way to the goalmouth, but unfortunately, Poon Pui Hin was a fraction too late to connect.
Despite being down to ten men following Ngan Lok Fung's dismissal due to a pair of yellow cards, Lee Man held firm to secure their victory. They overcame Kitchee SC 3:2, securing all three points to conclude the league season as undefeated champions.