Kitchee met up with North District in Mong Kok Stadium on Saturday afternoon for the 2024-25 Boc Life Hong Kong Premier League clash. North District beat Kitchee by 2:1.
In a thrilling BOC Life Hong Kong Premier League encounter at Mong Kok Stadium on Saturday (April 5), North District clinched a dramatic 2:1 victory over Kitchee, securing all three points.
The match burst into life from the opening whistle, with North District's Elian Villalobos unleashing a venomous long-range effort following Singh Kiranbir's clever knockdown, only to be denied by an alert goalkeeper. North District continued to press, winning a corner that led to Guilherme Kayron testing the keeper amid a goalmouth scramble.
Kitchee responded in the 9th minute with a flowing move, as Cheng Chin Lung's defense-splitting through ball found Sherzod Temirov in space, but the striker's effort whistled agonizingly wide of the upright.
The contest evolved into an end-to-end affair, featuring Elian Villalobos's powerful free-kick that forced a spectacular save from the Kitchee shot-stopper. At the other end, Sherzod Temirov's point-blank header from Fernando Augusto's pinpoint cross struck the woodwork after a crucial goalkeeping intervention.
The deadlock was finally broken on the half-hour mark when Kitchee capitalized on a defensive blunder. Danilo Mariano's miscued clearance fell to Sherzod Temirov, who expertly picked out the unmarked Rey Aaron to rifle home with his left foot.
The first half concluded with Kitchee holding a slender 1:0 advantage.
North District emerged from the break with renewed vigor, and their persistence paid off in the 52nd minute. Following a collision between Wong Kwok Wai and a defender on the edge of the area, Kendy Renato pounced on the loose ball to slot home a clinical equalizer.
The momentum continued to favor North District, with a 73rd-minute attacking sequence seeing Tai Tsz Hin Marcus' precise delivery finding Kendy Renato, whose initial header and subsequent close-range effort were both brilliantly thwarted by the goalkeeper.
The pressure mounted as the clock hit 77 minutes, when Khan Jahangir's searching ball found Wong Wai Kwok, who demonstrated exceptional control before unleashing a fierce drive that required a fingertip save.
As both sides pushed for victory, Kitchee's Walter Junior created space before curling an effort inches wide, while Wong Wai Kwok's penetrating run resulted in another crucial save from the busy keeper.
The decisive moment came deep into stoppage time when Lo Kong Wai's inch-perfect cross from the left flank found Kendy Renato unmarked, and he made no mistake with a clinical header to send the ball home.
Kitchee nearly snatched a dramatic equalizer at the death, but Matheus Dantas' thunderous free-kick was expertly parried away by the North District goalkeeper.
The final whistle confirmed North District's memorable comeback victory, as they emerged 2:1 winners in this pulsating encounter.