Lee Man met up with Kwoon Chung Southern in Mong Kok Stadium on Saturday evening (1st May 2025) for the 2024-25 JC Sapling Cup Final clash. Kwoon Chung Southern beat Lee Man by 4:0 and won the championship.
In a thrilling encounter at Mong Kok Stadium on Thursday (May 1), Kwoon Chung Southern clinched the prestigious JC Sapling Cup trophy with a commanding 4:0 victory over Lee Man in the tournament's finale.
The opening exchanges saw Lee Man dominating possession, with Samuel Rosa coming close in the 12th minute, connecting with a pinpoint cross from Everton Camargo, only to be denied by a spectacular save from the goalkeeper. Wong Wai then orchestrated a brilliant run down the right flank, setting up Hneri Anier whose goal-bound effort was expertly blocked by the resilient defense.
The deadlock was broken in the 25th minute when Kwoon Chung Southern's Kessi Isac showcased his exceptional vision, delivering a precise cross that found Jonatan Acosta, who demonstrated remarkable composure to control and finish with aplomb, putting his side 1:0 ahead.
Lee Man nearly equalized through a set-piece situation, as Wong Wai's delivery from the left caused havoc in the box. The partial clearance fell to Henri Anier, whose instinctive left-footed strike from an acute angle rattled the woodwork.
Kwoon Chung Southern doubled their advantage in the 32nd minute, capitalizing on a defensive mishap. Lee Man's center-back Luis Eduardo's failed clearance presented Stefan Pereira with a golden opportunity, and the clinical striker made no mistake, coolly slotting past the onrushing keeper into an unguarded net.
The rampant Kwoon Chung Southern extended their lead just three minutes later with a textbook attacking move. Jonatan Acosta turned provider with an exquisite cross, finding the unmarked Kessi Isac who powered home a clinical header to make it 3:0.
Lee Man showed tremendous fighting spirit, with Mitchel Paulissen forcing a crucial save from the keeper following Henri Anier's creative play. Their persistence nearly paid off in the 40th minute when Everton Camargo's perfectly weighted corner found Ryan Tafazolli, whose powerful header crashed against the crossbar.
The first half concluded with Lee Man still pressing, as Everton Camargo's thunderous free-kick narrowly missed the target, sailing inches over the crossbar.
At the interval, Kwoon Chung Southern held a commanding 3:0 lead.
Lee Man emerged from the break with renewed determination, with Luis Eduardo linking up with Samuel Rosa’s pass before unleashing a fierce drive that was heroically blocked by the resolute Kwoon Chung Southern defense.
However, Kwoong Chung Southern's counter attack almost paid dividends when Ichikawa Sohgo latched onto Jonatan Acosta's defense-splitting through ball, but his effort drifted agonizingly wide of the post.
The match was effectively sealed in the 67th minute through another moment of attacking brilliance. Sasaki Shu's precise delivery from the left flank found Ichikawa Sohgo in acres of space, and he made no mistake with a composed finish to make it 4:0.
Lee Man refused to surrender, and in the 82nd minute, Simionato Paulo Sergio demonstrated exceptional skill to cut inside from the left before threading a sublime pass to Timothy Stephen Chow, whose quick turn and shot required a goal-line clearance from the alert Chak Ting Fung.
As the final whistle echoed around Mong Kok Stadium, Kwoon Chung Southern had secured an emphatic 4:0 victory, becoming this season's JC Sapling Cup champions.