Kitchee meeted Lee Man in Mongkok Stadium on Sunday afternoon for the 2023-24 HKFA Senior Shield semi-final, Kitchee got a 1:0 victory over Lee Man.
The match unfolded as an intense battle between the two teams. Lee Man had an early scoring opportunity in the 5th minute when Everton received a well-executed pass from Mitchel Paulissen and unleashed a powerful strike from the top of the penalty area, narrowly missing the target. In the 11th minute, Kitchee launched a fierce attack as Cleiton skillfully maneuvered past several defenders and delivered a back-heel pass to Walter Junior inside the box. However, Walter Junior's shot was denied by an impressive save from the goalkeeper. Kitchee gradually gained control of the game and started to assert dominance. Ruslan Mingazov displayed great skill as he received a pass from Cleiton Silva and unleashed a thunderous long-range shot, only to be denied by a diving save from the goalkeeper. Later, Lee Man's Givanilton was initially penalized for handball inside the penalty area, but the decision was overturned after a VAR review. Lee Man also came close to scoring when Henri Anier skillfully shook off his marker and attempted a narrow-angle shot, but was just missing the target.
At the 41st minute mark, Kitchee finally broke the deadlock. Ruslan Mingazov embarked on a swift run down the left flank, delivering a pinpoint cross into the box. Walter Junior, lurking near the far post, calmly tapped the ball into the net, giving Kitchee a well-deserved 1:0 lead at the end of the first half.
In the second half, Lee Man launched a relentless offensive onslaught in their quest to equalize. In the 55th minute, Everton stepped up to take a free-kick at the edge of the box, but his powerful strike was brilliantly denied by the goalkeeper with a single-handed save. Meanwhile, Kitchee utilized counterattacks to create threats. Cleiton swiftly dispossessed Wong Wai and swiftly passed the ball to Ruslan Mingazov, whose powerful shot narrowly missed the target. In the 63rd minute, Lee Man also had a golden scoring chance when Henri Anier burst into the penalty area from the left flank, attempting a narrow-angle shot that just evaded the goal. Later, in the 72nd minute, Mitchel Paulissen positioned himself for a direct free kick from the left side, but Kitchee's outstanding goalkeeper Paul Cesar made yet another remarkable save.
As the game reached its closing stages, Kitchee had further chances to extend their lead. Mikael expertly received a precise through pass and unleashed a smart lob-shot, but the goalkeeper reacted swiftly and managed to make a crucial save. Finally, Kitchee successfully preserved their lead until the final whistle, securing a hard-fought 1:0 victory over Lee Man and advancing to the final of the Senior Shield.