Match Report - League Match 3 - Pegasus v Kitchee - Fernando saves Kitchee Blushes on a bad day for Lucas as the HK Horse canters on!

Kitchee's good start to the season faltered slightly dropping 2 points against a spirited Pegasus team. Pegasus made it difficult for Kitchee throughout but the Blue Waves had enough chances that this game should have been put to bed. However, on what was an awful day for Lucas Silva, it was the Hong Kong Horse that took the lead with an 87th minute goal following a handling error by the usually dependable Wang Zheng Pang. 

The whole stadium thought that that would spell the end of Kitchee's unbeaten streak in the league, spreading back to January, but Fernando smashed home an equaliser a few minutes later following a great cross by substitute Dani Cancela. 

Even though there was only a few minutes left on the clock, the drama wasn't quite over and Kitchee could have stolen all three points at the death as Brazilian Lucas spurned a glorious opportunity from only 4 yards out. As such, both teams stay unbeaten for the season but probably both go away a little disappointed not to have taken the 3 points.

Angry Boundary Street was there to bring you this report...

Matt Lam returns with Sandro missing out... 

Alex Chu largely stuck with the team that had so confidently dispatched of Dreams FC in the last game, the only change being the introduction of Matt Lam up front with Sandro dropping down to the subs bench.  This was clearly more of a squad rotation play from Chu, who will want to ensure that all of his attacking options stay sharp, but perhaps he will regret this now as Kitchee severely missed Sandro's cutting edge up front.

The rest of the team was expected, with Wang Zheng Pang in goal marshaled by Bong, Helio and Tong Kin Man in defence and then a midfield three of Lam Zhi Gin, Vadocz, Huang Yang and Fernando.

Matt Lam was joined up front by Jared Lum and Lucas. 

As it happened...

With both teams looking a little fearful of dropping their 100% start to the season, the game took a little while to come to life with few early chances for both teams.  The first chance of note came in the 24th minute when Lam Zhi Gin, after good work from Matt Lam in the right corner, pick up the ball inside the area and shot narrowly over from 10 yards out.  A few minutes later, Fernando then created something out of nowhere.  Cutting back on the left wing, the Brazilian sent a curling a cross into the box. However, the boy from Salvador took everyone by surprise when the ball looped round, evading everyone, and only being kept out of the goal by the upright of the goal. 

Photo by Scoop Lee

This chance seemed to wake Pegasus up a little and they quickly fought back with three great chances in quick succession, with Mbende Mbombe at the heart of everything. On 30 minutes, the little Cameroonian surged forward and unleashed a shot which went over the bar. Shortly after he created a superb opportunity for fellow countryman, Mahama Awal.  Awal picked up the ball and  played it to Mbende who sent a glorious return pass to Awal whose cut back was just narrowly behind the oncoming Leong Ka Hang. Lastly, on 39 minutes following a foul by Helio on Leong Ka Hang just outside the area after a ball fowrad by Mbombe, Joao Emir stepped up and hit a ferocious free kick that was luckily straight at Wang Zheng Pang who was able to palm the ball away to safety.

Photo by Scoop Lee

Despite these chances, the best opportunity to break the deadlock actually fell to Kitchee. Right at the end of the half, Lucas shrugged off his marker and cut in from the left hand side of the box. He let fly with a good hard shot from 20 yards which beat the keeper but bounced back off the post to the waiting Vadocz. Only 6 yards out, the usually cool Hungarian seemed to panic a little and slipped sending his shot into the waiting defenders who were able to deflect the ball wide for a corner.  0-0 at half time.

The chances continued after the break with Kitchee having the best of the first 20 minutes or so but Lucas, who scored 4 goals in the last outing, was in a uncharacteristically wasteful mood.  The best of these chances game in the 49th Minute when Jared Lum played a good ball to Lam Zhi Gin inside the area. The ex-Hamburg player pulled the ball back perfectly to find Lucas unmarked on the penalty spot. With the goal at his mercy, the Brazilian was only able to blaze over the top of the bar from 12 yards out. 

Photo by Scoop Lee

The game swung in the favour of Pegasus on 70 minutes when No.39 Travis Major replaced Chan Siu Ki. Major was to play a pivotal role in the remainder of the game and nearly gave Pegasus the lead with nearly his first touch of the ball. Following a wayward clearance by Helio the ball went out of play for a Pegasus corner. The ball was floated in ball Joao Emir and met by the head of Major who headed straight at Wang Zheng Pang from point blank range. The veteran keeper was able to turn the ball away and it was eventually scrambled to safety. Kitchee broke up the filed but soon gave the ball back to Pegasus and Major played in fellow substitute Jordan Lam who shot low towards the left hand post only for Pang to once again be the saviour for Kitchee - twice in as many minutes.

Despite there now only being 10 minutes left on the clock, there was still plenty of time for drama and lots of late chances. The first of these fell again to Brazilian Lucas Da Silva whom, after a great advantage played by the ref and a perfect cross from Fernando, glanced a header wide from only 5 yards out. The Brazilian really should have scored. 

Pegasus capitalised on this good fortune and within 2 minutes were in front themselves. Joao Emir tried his luck with a curling effort from the edge of the area. WZ Pang got both hands to the ball and would have hoped to have done better as he spilled it to the oncoming Major who was able to tap in from just 2 yards out, sparking jubilant scenes as the couple of hundred HK Horse fans and the bench celebrated wildly.  1-0 to Pegasus. 

With just a few minutes left on the clock, Pegasus had started playing for time but Kitchee weren't done. Substitute Dani Cancela picked up the ball and chased down the wing, cutting back he then sent a cross to the back post. The ball should have been cut out but fell at the feet of Fernando who hit it ferociously first time back at goal. Despite it being straight at Hing Kit Leung, the ball squirmed under his body and Kitchee were back level - Fernando once again the hero for Kitchee. A last minute equaliser and relief all round for the Blue Wave faithful. 

That relief was so nearly turned into ecstasy when in the last of the additional four minutes of extra time, Fernando sent a teasing low cross into the box. The ball evaded the defenders and was missed by Alex at the near post. With Leung on the ground, the ball fell at the feet of Lucas inside the 6 yard box who only needed to slot home to give Kitchee the 3 points. However, the Brazilian was only able to play the ball back across the goal and straight at the grateful 'keeper who clung onto the ball and to the point for Pegasus.

The result leaves both teams tied at the top of HKPL with 7 points each after 3 games. 

Good day for...

Photo by Scoop Lee

Fernando was once again at the heart of everything for Kitchee. As well as coming up with the goal to rescue the points for Kitchee late on, he also set up numerous other chances for both Lucas and Sandro which really should have been converted. 

He will be annoyed that the team dropped points but will be happy that he got off the mark in what will be a massive season for the Brazilian. 




Bad day for...

This will probably come as no surprise but this has to go to Lucas. After his four goal haul versus Dreams FC most fans thought that he was now rolling for Kitchee and would continue that form into this game. However, whilst the striker had a good first 45 minutes, creating his own chances and making space for the rest of the team, in the second half he wasted a number of brilliant opportunities to give Kitchee the lead. The missed chance in the last seconds of the game is definitely an early candidate for miss of the season.  

We won't be too harsh on the Striker as you have to be there to score them and fans were encouraged by the way that Lucas continues to create chances for himself by harassing defenders. However, many were left questioning whether Kitchee would have taken all 3 points if Sandro had started up front instead. 

We're sure that Lucas will be back to his old scoring ways soon.


Next up...

Kitchee will look to put the disappointment of this game behind them with a win against the struggling Eastern in the HK Community Cup on Saturday. The game takes place at Mong Kok Stadium and is a 17:30 kick off. Get there and support the boys!!