In a thrilling encounter at Tsing Yi Northeast Park on Tuesday (June 3), TSL FC clinched the runners-up spot in the Jockey Club Women's Football League (1st Division) with a commanding 5:2 victory over United Citizen, who had to settle for third place.
The match burst into life immediately as TSL FC's attacking prowess was on full display. Their early pressure paid dividends in the 3rd minute when Wong Shuk Fan orchestrated a precise through ball down the left flank, setting up Wong Hiu Ting who clinically dispatched a thunderous left-footed effort from an acute angle into the back of the net. The momentum stayed with TSL FC as they doubled their advantage in the 9th minute through a spectacular individual effort. Chan Yee Hing latched onto a searching long ball, showcasing her pace down the left wing before cutting into the penalty area and expertly placing a right-footed strike into the far corner. United Citizen showed signs of life with two promising opportunities. The energetic Chong Ching Lam Jaylynn created space on the right flank in the 18th minute, but her effort from a tight angle was expertly parried by TSL FC's shot-stopper Ng Yuen Ki. Ten minutes later, Chong Ching Lam Jaylynn turned provider with a pinpoint cross, finding Limbu Sneha unmarked, but her headed attempt was safely gathered by the alert goalkeeper.
TSL FC's relentless attacking football continued to bear fruit. After Chan Yee Hing's one-on-one opportunity was thwarted by United Citizen's goalkeeper Lung Wing Yan, they found their third in the 33rd minute. A perfectly weighted cross from Chan Yee Hing on the left wing found Wu Choi Yiu, who produced a clinical first-time finish into the top corner, leaving the goalkeeper rooted to the spot. Displaying admirable resilience, United Citizen clawed their way back into the contest in the 37th minute. A defense-splitting through ball found Tam Ka Yin in space, who showed composure to slot past the onrushing goalkeeper, reducing the deficit to 1:3. The first half's final opportunity fell to United Citizen, as Limbu Sneha's intelligent first-time pass carved open the defense, but Tam Ka Yin's close-range effort was denied by some excellent positional goalkeeping. The teams went into the interval with TSL FC holding a 3:1 advantage.
After the restart, TSL FC maintained their attacking philosophy. Substitute Leung Hong Kiu Anke came close twice with powerful efforts from a distance, rattling both the crossbar and post in a demonstration of their continued threat. United Citizen's fighting spirit shone through in the 58th minute when Kwan Wing Yu produced a moment of individual brilliance, beating two defenders on the right before curling a sublime left-footed effort into the far corner to make it 2:3. However, TSL FC's response was immediate and emphatic. Just sixty seconds later, Chan Yee Hing showed excellent vision to pick out the unmarked Sung Yasmin Li Mon, who maintained her composure to finish from a difficult angle, restoring the two-goal cushion. The scoring was completed in the 74th minute when Poon Ka Ka's precise delivery from the left found Leung Hong Kiu Anke unmarked at the far post, allowing her to apply a simple finish from close range, making it 5:2.
United Citizen nearly had the final say as Lau Yun Yi connected sweetly with a left-wing corner, but her powerful right-footed drive whistled agonizingly wide of the target. The final whistle confirmed TSL FC's impressive 5:2 triumph, securing them the runners-up position in this season's Jockey Club Women's Football League (1st Division), with United Citizen completing the podium in third place.
In a post-match interview, TSL FC captain Ma Chak Shun revealed the tactical approach deployed in their convincing victory, indicating it served as a crucial warm-up for their upcoming FA Cup showdown on Sunday (8th): "The squad executed the game plan brilliantly today, with our attacking unit benefiting from the manager's tactical flexibility. We approached this final league fixture as both a competitive match and a strategic preparation for the cup final."
The captain went on to analyze their defensive performance, highlighting areas for improvement: "We implemented an enhanced defensive structure today, though the execution fell short of expectations. Our marking discipline, in particular, needs fine-tuning. However, we're taking it one fixture at a time, maintaining our focus on immediate challenges."
Speaking about the upcoming cup final clash against league champions Kitchee, Ma Chak Shun candidly addressed the pre-match atmosphere in the dressing room: "We're facing a formidable opponent in Kitchee, and there's palpable tension within the squad. The final has been a constant topic during our training sessions. With Kitchee having secured the league title, our determination to claim silverware in the FA Cup has intensified significantly."





