Treble dreams over as Kitchee lose on penalties to ten man Tai Po- Tai Po 1(6) Kitchee 1(5)

Summary

Kitchee exited the FA Cup in the quarter finals to Tai Po for the second year in a row. Kitchee legend Fernando gave Tai Po an early lead, before Adrian equalised in the first half. After a hundred and twenty minutes the sides could not be separated, and despite Bear saving from Renner, Tse Ka-wing saved from Jay Haddow and Anson Wong to eliminate Kitchee.

Team news

Long term absentees Law, Riera and Slattery remained injured. Kitchee made three changes from last week's win, with Anson and Kendy dropping to the bench and the injured Merquelanz being left out of the matchday squad. Illarramendi, Mingazow and Juninho came in to the starting lineup. 

Bear; Dantas, Jason (Lung 90), Beattie; Mingazow, Lok (c) (Haddow 68), Illarramendi (Ari 99), Kanda (Anson 99), Juninho (Jordan 83); Leandro (Kendy 68), Adrian

Unused subs: Wang, Buddle

Match events

Ka-wing denied Dantas and Adrian with a good double save from a Kanda corner, before Bear saved with his legs from Philip Chan. After 10 minutes, Fernando's hopeful effort from the right hand side flew through the hands of Bear, and then Tan Chun-lok headed onto the bar from an offside position. Just after the half hour,  good linkup down the right saw Mingazow cross for Adrian to score his eleventh goal of the season.

As the second half started Fernando poked in from an offside position, and Bear made good saves to deny Renner, Marcao and Chung. Kanda fired wide from range, but Kitchee fans grew frustrated with a number of overhit and wayward crosses, and an inability to break Tai Po down. The frustration intensified as Weverton was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time, although replays show this was a harsh decision. Extra time loomed.

In extra time Kitchee remained unable to break down a stubborn Tai Po team, who took the opportunities to go down and waste time from restarts. Dantas had a go from long range and Mingazow headed wide, but the crossing got even more wasteful. Michel Renner ran the length of the pitch for Tai Po and blasted over. Kitchee suffered with a lack of structure and leadership as the game went on- Tan Chun-lok went off just after the hour, and Illarramendi went off after cramping up in extra time, meaning Kitchee ended the game with just one player over twenty eight on the pitch, while the majority of Tai Po's remaining players had that know-how to wind the clock down and defend resiliently.

Penalties then arrived. Kitchee's first shootout since the meaningless HKPL Cup in the 24/25 season, and last proper shootout since the Senior Shield final in 2023. Bear saved Tai Po's third penalty, from Michel Renner, which left Jay Haddow with the chance to send Kitchee through. His effort was saved, and in sudden death Anson Wong also saw his penalty saved, and despite having an opportunity to retake owing to Tse Ka-wing coming off his line, this was also saved, and Kitchee suffered their first penalty shootout defeat since early 2019.

Fan feedback

Mainly frustration, after playing nearly forty minutes against ten men, having also had over half an hour (when the lengthy stoppage time is included) away at Tai Po in October, and Kitchee could not get the job done. When Tai Po sit back, Kitchee have no answers. The substitutions for the first time this season did not pay off, as Kitchee could not get the job done in normal time, and only had younger players on the bench. As penalties loomed, only one of Kitchee's players was over 28 years old, while eight of the ten on the pitch for Tai Po had this experience and know-how. While fans have very much enjoyed the much younger profile of player this season, it was lacking in experience and leadership at the end. The absence of an actual striker on the bench left Kitchee short of ideas, with Adrian starting to look a bit weary (missing a couple of sitters), and the Spaniard has played over two hundred minutes more than any other Kitchee player. None of Kitchee's subs were able to influence the game, and the substitutions made left the team a bit unbalanced, with Illarramendi and then Haddow at centre back and Cheng Chin-lung in holding midfield. Some fans felt it would have been a good opportunity to rotate the goalkeepers and give Wang Zhenpeng a game, and it would have given some more experience and vocal leadership as the game went on. 

Kitchee's crossing was woeful throughout, and despite Kitchee's goal (and a number of good chances) coming from low crosses, Kitchee continued to attempt to go high, which the nearly two metre tall Marcao dealt with with ease. There was little attacking cohesion, with players struggling to stay on the same wavelength and exploit the space created. Some fans felt Mingazow (captain at the end) and Jordan Lam (having scored the decisive penalty in the Lunar New Year Cup) should have stepped up before Jay Haddow did. That being said, penalties are a lottery that is not common, and if players self-selected, fans admire those who did. Bear made an almost identical mistake to one he made in the Hong Kong-Guangdong Cup, but did bounce back with a number of sharp saves. It was commented that when he relies on instinct he is very good, but when he has time to think about longshots, he gets nervous. As mentioned earlier, there was no second striker on the bench. Matthew Slattery has been injured for two months, but is unlikely to be the answer, and while Kitchee did invest in two attacking players, neither are out and out strikers.

After the victory last week Kitchee fans chanted 'Champions of Hong Kong' which players and staff discouraged as getting too complacent. Saturday was a reality check and gives Kitchee some things to work on for the final stretch of the season. The title is arguably Kitchee's to lose as it stands, but they will have to be much more clinical. That being said, Kitchee are still unbeaten in the league, and have only lost one game in ninety minutes all season so it is important not to get carried away.

What's next

Kitchee play three games in a week before the international break. First up is the league game against Kowloon City at TKO (14th March at 6pm). Then we take on the same opponent in the League Cup midweek at Mong Kok (18th March at 8pm) before finishing off the week at TKO against Eastern in the league (21st March at 3pm). As always there is the chance that HKFA change the dates and times at short notice. Still no preliminary squad for the Hong Kong games, but we expect a number of our squad to be involved.

Please follow us on social media to stay up to date with the latest Kitchee news. We are approaching 600 followers on Instagram and are at over 400 on Facebook. Facebook Instagram

Thanks to Scoop for photos. Find his work linked below and go and follow

Scoop Facebook Instagram

Match highlights

Five goals, three points, and ten wins in a row- Kitchee 5 HKFC 2

Summary

Kitchee bounced back from going behind for the first time since November with a 5-2 win over HKFC. In front of a paltry 500 fans, Tatsuya Inoue gave HKFC a shock lead after ten minutes, but Anson Wong equalised moments later. Leandro Martinez scored his first Kitchee goals since December, either side of Bear saving a penalty (the awarding of which stunned the crowd) as Kitchee led 3-1 at half time. Adrian's double early in the second half extended the lead to 5-1 (although his first goal has since been given as an own goal) and a demolition looked on the cards. But with an eye on the FA Cup next week Kitchee slowed down, and HKFC nabbed another goal back with around ten minutes left. With Lee Man drawing on Saturday Kitchee's lead extends to fourteen points, but despite the crowd enthusiastically singing 'Champions of Hong Kong', coach Inigo Calderon and some of the players encouraged fans to not get complacent as the job is not done yet.

Team news

Kitchee adjusted slightly for this game, switching to a 3-1-4-2. Law Tsz-chun, Roger Riera and Matthew Slattery remained out, and Illarramendi was rested with next week's FA Cup clash in mind, having played ninety minutes in eight consecutive games. Kitchee made three changes, with Mingazow and Juninho dropping to the bench, and Leandro, Martin Merquelanz (for his Kitchee debut) and Anson Wong (for his first start) coming into the side.

Bear; Dantas, Jason, Beattie (Jordan 73); Lok (c); Merquelanz, Kanda (Li Siu-hin 63), Kendy (Ari Lam 73), Anson (Haddow 46); Adrian (Mingazow 63)

Unused subs: Wang, Lung, Buddle, Juninho

Match events

Inoue drove at Kitchee down the HKFC left, sitting down Merquelanz and scoring a lovely goal early for a shock lead after ten minutes. But Kitchee equalised soon after. A lofted ball from dantas into the debutant Merquelanz whose cross from the right was tucked in by Anson, very similar to his goal on his debut in January. Good passing and moving from Adrian, Kanda and Kendy saw the latter set up Leandro for a simple finish just after the half hour, before HKFC were awarded a penalty which Bear saved with his legs. Leandro doubled his account in stoppage time, after Kendy cleverly dinked a freekick into the box for his second assist. 3-1 and Kitchee were comfortable.

Adrian got on the end of Leandros cross to add a 4th, although it seems to have been given as an own goal after taking a touch off the HKFC centre back. Beattie played in Kendy who saw his shot saved. The impressive Merquelanz swung in a quality corner which was headed onto the post by Leandro going for his hat trick, but Adrian tapped in the rebound. HKFC pulled another goal back late on after an impressive break down the right by young right back William Mirwasser. Leandro and Haddow both had chances to increase the lead further, but in the end Kitchee enjoyed a straightforward victory with key players taken off early ahead of next weeks cup game, and some not playing at all.

Fan feedback

It was strange to see Kitchee go a goal behind for the first time since Southern away at the end of November, especially against a side that had only achieved four points all season. But Kitchee bounced back almost instantly, and in the end were comfortable. The gamble of playing two wingers as wingbacks against a weaker team paid off, and meant that some of Kitchee's other key names are well rested for next week. Illarramendi was left out of the squad altogether, while Juninho was an unused substitute and Jay Haddow came on at half time. The nature of the victory meant that Adrian Revilla and Yumemi Kanda were able to come off with nearly half an hour to go.

Martin Merquelanz had a solid debut, despite slipping in the build up to the opening goal. He effortlessly switched flanks at half time, and his deliveries posed threats, both from open play and set pieces. His cross from the right was tapped in for the equaliser by Anson Wong, although Leandro Martinez may have got a touch on the way through. Merquelanz's corner led to Kitchee's fifth goal, as Leandro's header into the post was tucked in. For a man without a competitive game since early November, he completed his first ninety minutes in almost five years, after a few injury-ravaged years. We hope he can continue this throughout the rest of the season.

Leandro Martinez had by far his best game in a Kitchee shirt, scoring twice and also hitting the post. Transfermarkt has given him three assists, but some may disagree. His slightly wayward finishing in recent weeks had frustrated the fans but the man of the match display was a welcome change, as he scored his first goals since December. The margin of victory allowed some rest and rotation in the second half, with teenagers Li Siu-hin and Ari Lam coming on, and Jay Haddow playing in central midfield. Sunday's victory meant Kitchee reached ten wins in a row, and the players and staff will be hoping to continue this in the upcoming weeks.

What's next and other news

Kitchee next take on Tai Po in the FA Cup on Saturday night, in a 6.30pm kickoff at Mong Kok. After one trophy in the last two seasons, Kitchee will be determined to win as much as possible, so will go all out to win it. There are three league games remaining before the league splits into a championship and relegation group.

In the Lunar New Year Cup between Hong Kong and FC Seoul, Juninho scored from a Jay Haddow cross as the game ended 1-1. Tan Chun-lok captained the side, with Bear and Jason Kam also starting. Jordan Lam came off the bench and scored the decisive penalty in the shootout. Kitchee announced the formal signing of Myanmar under 22 international Thurain Tun, who debuted and scored for Kitchee's U22s in midweek, along with the promotion to the first team of teenage goalkeeper Tang Pui-chun. The young goalkeeper started four of five games for the Hong Kong under 17 side in Asian Cup qualification in November. 

Hong Kong's two games during the March international window have been confirmed, with a trip to Nepal on the 26th March (kick off 8.15pm Hong Kong time) and the final dead rubber Asian Cup qualifier in India on the 31st March (kick off 9.30pm Hong Kong time). We anticipate a number of Kitchee players to be involved, and will update you when the squads are released.

Please follow us on social media to stay up to date with the latest Kitchee news. We are approaching 600 followers on Instagram and are at over 400 on Facebook. Facebook Instagram

Thanks to Scoop for photos. Find his work linked below and go and follow

Scoop Facebook Instagram

Match highlights

Another win, another clean sheet as Kanda's strike seals all three points- Kitchee 1 Lee Man 0

Summary

Kitchee's winning run in the league extended to nine games, as Yumemi Kanda's strike just before the hour mark sealed a vital three points. A crowd of over two thousand witnessed the crucial Sunday night encounter, where despite a number of uncompromising tackles, the only yellow cards shown were for dissent and timewasting, in the final stages.

Team news

Kitchee switched back to a back three formation, with captain Tan Chun-lok coming in for Jay Haddow. Roger Riera was sidelined with an eye injury, alongside longterm absentees Law Tsz-chun and Matthew Slattery. New signing Martin Merquelanz (more on him later) was also left out, as he returns to full fitness.

Bear; Dantas, Jason (Ari 83), Beattie; Mingazow, Lok (c) (Lung 83), Illarramendi, Juninho (Jordan 73);
Kendy (Leandro 73), Kanda (Haddow 61); Adrian

Unused subs: Wang, Anson

Match events

Bear saved from Noah early on, before Kitchee went close a couple of times as both sides sought to gain a foothold. Bear was called into action when he kept out Tursunov's header with a superb save as the Uzbek rose highest at a Wong Wai corner, and soon afterwards Leung Hing-kit in the Lee Man goal pulled off a similar quality save to deny Adrian's header, and the sides went in at half time level.

Just before the hour mark, Illarramendi played a short pass to Kanda who played the ball back onto his right foot and scored a fantastic goal from outside the box. Soon after Adrian should have doubled Kitchee's lead but he missed with the goal gaping. Kitchee then spent a lot of the remaining thirty minutes defending their own box, as Lee Man brought on more and more attackers, but Kitchee held firm for a monumental win. The first double over Lee Man since 2018/19, and the first time Kitchee had been undefeated against Lee Man in a league season since 2020/21 (ignoring the solitary encounter of 2021/22 which ended in a draw).

Fan feedback

The unbeaten run continues, with another win and another clean sheet in a crucial match. Kitchee controlled possession and the game, but Lee Man did pose an aerial threat at set pieces. Illarramendi continues to show his class, and has played the full ninety minutes in the last eight games, ending any doubt about his fitness levels. Yumemi Kanda has been incredible this season, and yet again delivered a clutch performance with the only goal. Kitchee currently do not look like being beaten, and yet again Calderon's subs kept up the same intensity. Kitchee will hope Riera's injury does not sideline him for too long, and that Jason Kam being taken off was a precaution, as they seek to regain the title after two poor seasons. 

What's next and other news

Last week Kitchee announced the signing of Spanish winger Martin Merquelanz, who last played for FC Andorra. A teammate at Real Sociedad with Illarramendi, Martin made his senior debut coming on for the Champions League winner. Predominantly a left winger, he has also played centrally and on the right, and has a lot of experience in the top leagues in Spain. We look forward to seeing what he can do this season.

This weekend a Hong Kong team (minus the majority of those based abroad) take on FC Seoul of South Korea in the Lunar New Year Cup. Quite frankly its a pointless fixture with the focus on reaching government KPIs and earning money, rather than benefitting the players involved. HKFA have spent more time promoting the entertainment acts than the players involved. Kitchee have Pong Cheuk-hei, Jay Haddow, Jason Kam, Jordan Lam, Tan Chun-lok and Juninho in the squad.

Kitchee's next game is another Sunday night, on the 1st March. Hong Kong Football Club will come to TKO, as Kitchee aim to go for ten wins in a row. Hope to see you there.

Please follow us on social media to stay up to date with the latest Kitchee news. We passed 550 followers on Instagram and are at over 400 on Facebook. Facebook Instagram

Thanks to Scoop for photos. Find his work linked below and go and follow

Scoop Facebook Instagram

Match highlights

Another clean sheet as winning run continues- Kitchee 3 Southern 0

Summary

Kitchee extended the winning run with a comprehensive victory at home to Southern. On a wet Saturday in TKO, goals from Jason Kam, Dantas and substitute Jordan Lam made it an easy win. Kitchee were dominant and could have scored more, with the margin of victory allowing key players to come off with the crucial game against Lee Man in two weeks in mind.

Team news

Roger Riera was suspended, having previously not missed a minute this season. Lok and Leandro dropped to the bench. Jason Kam came in at centre back, with Kendy and Mingazow coming in further forward. Mingazow captained Kitchee from the start for the first time in his career, having previously taken on the armband in the latter stages of games. There were also a return to the bench for Seb Buddle, having not been in a matchday squad since September due to injury.

Bear; Haddow (Buddle 82), Dantas, Jason, Beattie; Illarramendi, Mingazow (c) (Anson 77), Kendy, Kanda (Lok 74), Juninho (Jordan 74); Adrian (Lung 82)

Unused subs: Wang, Leandro, Adrian Chan, Ari Lam

Match events

Juninho was heavily involved early on, with a nice cross from the left not met by anyone. He also forced a save from Ivan Ng after winning the ball back just outside the box. Illarramendi went close with an acrobatic effort, as Kitchee were dominant, and they got their goal halfway through the half. Kendys low corner evaded everyone in the box, and Adrian peeled off to shoot goalward, where Jason Kam flicked it in for his first professional goal. Shu Sasaki almost equalised with Southern's only chance of note; after a corner was cleared out, he struck the ball on the volley just over the bar.

Kitchee continued to dominate in the second half, with Juninho denied by a great save. Just after 70 minutes, Kendys freekick was headed in by Dantas for his second Kitchee goal as another set piece paid dividends. Tan Chun-lok and Jordan Lam then came on, with the latter scoring almost immediately from Mingazows cross to also score his second Kitchee goal. At 3-0 Kitchee were cruising, and with a crunch game in 2 weeks against Lee Man, Calderon brought off Mingazow, Adrian and Jay Haddow. It was great to see Seb Buddle make his first appearance since April, after a few injuries in the last 9 months. Bring on Lee Man

Fan feedback

A straightforward win, with enough to get past Southern without breaking a sweat. This was actually Kitchee's first home win over Southern since October 2022, as the last two league meetings ended in draws with Kitchee massively underperforming against a bogey team. The team adapted well to the poor weather conditions, and were able to manage player minutes, with Tan Chun-lok coming off the bench with bigger games ahead. The defence was largely untroubled, although a little bit chaotic in getting the ball out of Kitchee's half, but Southern had no answer to Kitchee's attack. On another day Kitchee could have easily had five or six- Kitchee should have had one penalty, maybe two, and did miss a few good chances as Southern were relatively disciplined, just not good enough. Great personal milestone for Jason Kam to score his first goal in his breakout season, with Dantas and Jordan both doubling their Kitchee goal tallies, and it eases the pressure on the attackers knowing that there are goals throughout the team, albeit the vast majority are still attacking players. Kitchee have used set pieces as a bit of a weapon recently, both in unsettling opponents and in the case of this week, scoring twice. The Lee Man game in two weeks will prove a key benchmark in how far Kitchee have come; both sides enter the game in a fairly freescoring way- Kitchee have scored ten and given up two in their last three games while Lee Man have scored twenty goals in their last four, while letting in five. It promises to be a huge game, and a win for Kitchee would put them into the driving seat for the league, while even a point maintains Kitchee's advantage.

What's next

Lee Man at TKO on the 15th February, at 6pm. Hong Kong will take on FC Seoul of South Korea on the 21st February. 

Please follow us on social media to stay up to date with the latest Kitchee news. We passed 550 followers on Instagram and are at over 400 on Facebook. Facebook Instagram

Thanks to Scoop for photos. Find his work linked below and go and follow

Scoop Facebook Instagram

Highlights

Kitchee start off the TKO era with three points to extend the winning run- Kitchee 4 Tai Po 2

Summary

Kitchee began the new (hopefully temporary) era at Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground with a crucial three points against Tai Po. At a stadium where the 'running track' around the outside resembled a building site, goals from Yumemi Kanda (2), Juninho and Adrian Revilla put Kitchee into a 4-0 lead. Naturally the intensity dwindled in the second half, which allowed Tai Po to score two consolations from near-identical corners.

Team news

Kitchee swapped to a back four again, with Dantas returning from suspension, and Haddow and Kanda being promoted from the bench. Jason Kam and Jordan Lam dropped to the bench, with Kendy out of the matchday squad. Law Tsz-chun and Matthew Slattery remained injured and neither seem like they will return soon.

Bear; Haddow (Jason 74), Riera, Dantas, Beattie (Jordan 82); Lok (c) (Lung 74), Illarra, Leandro, Kanda, Juninho (Anson 74); Adrian (Mingazow 74)

Unused subs: Wang, Chan Shing-chun

Match events

Leandro flicked onto the bar from Haddows cross early on, which was a sign of things to come. Soon afterwards, another cross from the right was cushioned by Juninho to Kanda, who took a touch and fired home. Just past the halfway stage of the half, another Haddow cross was met at the back post by the diving Juninho to double Kitchee's lead. As half time approached, Kitchee scored their third after an outstanding corner routine that caught Tai Po off guard. From the left hand side Juninho played it short to Kanda, who passed back to Illarra before running into the box. Illarra played it across to Haddow, who played a perfectly-weighted chip into the box which Kanda met, evading the dive of Tse Ka-wing and stunning the nearly 1500 fans. Almost bang on half time Haddow popped up on the left hand side to square the ball across to Adrian who scored for the fourth game in a row. 4-0 at halftime, and Kitchee were in dreamland, with their largest half time lead since being 5-0 up at Kowloon City away in November 2024. 

As is often the case in one-sided games like this, the second half was fairly dull. Leandro and Tai Po's Valverde traded wayward long shots, and as the game meandered to a close Tai Po scored from two corners, while Cheng Chin-lung and Anson Wong both went close to extending Kitchee's lead. Michel Renner hit the bar and post in the closing stages but Kitchee held on for a 4-2 win. Seven league wins in a row, ten unbeaten in all competitions, and thirteen unbeaten in the league (including the final game of last season).

Fan feedback

A game of two halves, where Kitchee's phenomenal intensity in the first half was unlikely to be maintained. Kitchee were able to give key players rest with the game secured, albeit Tai Po did find some life near the end of the game. The tactical flexibility of the side makes us a challenge to anyone, and Calderon trusts the majority of the squad, which allows for changes to keep the team fresh. Jay Haddow was outstanding at right back, and Yumemi Kanda's brace was well deserved. Juninho and Adrian also impressed, but in general it was a very good team performance, and the two consolations flattered Tai Po. Leandro Martinez missed a number of chances throughout the game, as has been the story of our season, and on another day Kitchee could have scored seven or eight. The squad could probably still do with a better back up for Adrian up front and another defender as cover, and Calderon revealed post-match that another versatile midfielder is coming in imminently.

What's next 

Southern at TKO next Saturday. A 3pm kickoff as Kitchee look to extend the winning streak and remain out at the top of the table.

Please follow us on social media to stay up to date with the latest Kitchee news. We passed 550 followers on Instagram and are at over 400 on Facebook. Facebook Instagram

Thanks to Scoop for photos. Find his work linked below and go and follow

Scoop Facebook Instagram

Match highlights

Winning run continues as late goals seal comfortable victory- Rangers 0 Kitchee 3

Written by Adam O'Domhnaill

Summary

Kitchee won their sixth game in a row, and extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to nine games. In a scrappy game on a poor quality Tsing Yi pitch, Illarramendi's first time strike from distance just after the half hour put Kitchee ahead. A drab game saw a lack of real chances, but Kitchee's substitutes offered some energy late on, with debutant Anson Wong grabbing an assist for Adrian and a goal (assisted by fellow substitute Mingazow) sealing another three points and a clean sheet.

Line up

Dantas remained banned, with Law and Slattery still injured. Mingazow returned to the bench. Juninho and Jordan Lam came in for Jay Haddow and Yumemi Kanda, as Kitchee switched back to the back three that had served them well in recent games.

Bear; Riera, Jason, Beattie; Juninho (Mingazow 74), Lok (c) (Haddow 74), Illarra, Jordan (Anson 65); Kendy, Leandro (Kanda 65); Adrian (Lung)

Unused subs: Wang, Adrian Chan, Ari Lam

Match events

Adrian hit the bar early from a tight angle, before Kitchee forced Rangers into a wayward shot after a long ball forward. After very few clear cut chances, good recycling of possession from Juninho and Kendy set up Illarra for his first Kitchee goal with a sweetly struck first time strike. Kitchee had had a few half chances in the first half but nothing that properly tested the goalkeeper.

Early in the second half Tan Chun-lok broke free and tested the keeper from a tight angle early in the first half, while the Kitchee defence dealt with another long ball to Ibrahim who posed a few questions. As the game meandered towards a close Kendy played in sub Anson Wong down the left who crossed for Adrian to double the lead. Mingazow then teed up Anson who scored to seal a memorable debut and a 3-0 win. Beattie tested the keeper from range in stoppage time as Kitchee extended the winning run to 6 in a row, and 9 unbeaten in all comps, as Kitchee's away games of the regular season are complete, with Kitchee only dropping two points.

Fan feedback

Calderon's tactical flexibility can be shown in the way the team has seamlessly shifted between a back 3 and a back 4 between games but also from game to game. The three man defence allows Jason Kam to break out of defence but also allows Tan Chun-lok to break forward and support the attack. Sometimes in dull games you need a moment of magic, which Illarramendi provided and was awarded the man of the match award, although in our opinion Adrian Revilla and Tan Chun-lok were also impressive. There is no denying that it was a fairly dull game of football, but Kitchee did not really need to move up a gear, and the late goals gave Kitchee a clinical edge they have maybe been lacking in recent games. Anson Wong, Mingazow and Jay Haddow all impressed off the bench, providing Calderon with something of a selection dilemma for the coming weeks. The team has shown an ability to adapt to player absences and the last two games have emphasised this with Dantas being suspended, showing a strength in depth and trust in the fringe players not seen by Kitchee managers in recent years. Fans still discuss whether another signing or two could be required; either another centre back as cover or another player to take the workload off Adrian, who has played over ninety percent of Kitchee's minutes.

What's next

Seven 'home' games in a row at Tseung Kwan O, starting next Sunday. 3pm, 25th January against Tai Po. The league then splits after these games, and Kitchee will hope to keep momentum and put themselves in a strong position to claim a first league title in three years. Kitchee currently lead Lee Man by nine points (albeit they have two games in hand and still have to play Kitchee again) and lead Tai Po by ten points.

Thanks to Scoop for photos. Find his work linked below and go and follow

Scoop Facebook Instagram

Match highlights

Rusty performance but Kitchee emerge victorious from HKFC clash- HKFC 1 Kitchee 2

Written by Adam O'Domhnaill

Kitchee started 2026 with their fifth league win in a row. First half goals from Adrian and Kanda gave Kitchee a 2-0 lead, before Dietrich pulled one back from a corner in stoppage time. The second half passed without much incident, and neither side really looked like scoring again, with the result sends Kitchee seven points clear at the top. 

Law fractured his collarbone in U22 game, while Dantas suspended retroactively after an incident in the Southern away game- a quirk of the shambolic organisation of the HKFA disciplinary committee that only meets once a month. Mingazow and Slattery were also injured. Kitchee made three changes, with Haddow, Beattie and Kendy coming in for Ari, Dantas and Juninho as Kitchee changed to a back four. Versatile new signing Anson Wong Ho-chun was an unused substitute after signing from Qingdao Hainiu; after starting his youth career at Kitchee he eventually made his first team debut for South China, before moving on to Lee Man, Eastern and then Qingdao. Over Christmas Kim Shin-wook's contract was officially terminated, and so with two foreign players unavailable there was a place on the bench for Enikar.

Bear; Haddow, Riera, Jason, Beattie (Jordan 82); Lok (c), Illarra; Leandro, Kendy (Lung 90), Kanda (Juninho 60); Adrian.

Unused subs: Wang, Anson, Enikar, A Chan, Li Siu-hin, Ari

Match events

Kitchee scored after five minutes. Callum Beattie, making his return to HKFC, played a long ball over the top, and Adrian was able to capitalise on Aleks committing to the ball to stroke the ball into an empty net. Kitchee had chances to increase their lead, with Adrian, Leandro and Kanda all going close. As the first half drew to a close both teams scored; Kanda extended Kitchee's lead after being set up by Leandro, before Dietrich pulled one back for HKFC from a corner in stoppage time. The second half was pretty dull, with both teams looking like teams who had not played in a month. There were no real chances of note, and Anson Wong remained an unused substitute. Another game, another win and the season rolls on. It may not always be pretty, but the current performances are delivering results.

Fans feedback

Lethargic performance, indicative of a team without a game for a month and not much training with a full squad. HKFC did not offer much, but Kitchee were a bit slow in transitions. The switch to a back four worked although against such poor opposition that is not that impressive. The change in formation did result in Kitchee playing Leandro on the right wing, and he took too long on the ball at times. Yumemi Kanda rightfully won man of the match but is yet to complete a full 90 minutes for Kitchee, and has come off between the 60th and 70th minutes in each of his last five games. Jason Kam did well bringing the ball out of defence on multiple occasions, but unfortunately there was no one there to take advantage. Kitchee struggled to get any crosses into the box, a consequence of playing two nominally central players out wide and having two more defensive fullbacks. Going back to the end of last season Kitchee are unbeaten in eleven league games, although we will have to do something spectacular to overhaul the thirty-one unbeaten league games between early 2017 and late 2018. If Kitchee avoid defeat next week, they will go a full calendar year unbeaten away from home, with Kitchee's next 'away' game not until the split into a top and bottom group. However, these unbeaten away games does include Eastern (twice) and Lee Man (once) where arguably Kitchee's fanbase was much more prominent.

Other news

Hong Kong's first games under Roberto Losada ended in a penalty shootout defeat after a 3-3 draw onaggregate against Guangdong. Tan Chun-lok and Bear started both games, with Lok captaining and lasting 90 minutes in both, and Bear only being subbed off for the penalty shootout. Juninho and Haddow played over half an hour off the bench in the first game, with Jason Kam and Jordan Lam unused subs. The second game saw Juninho, Haddow and Jordan Lam all start before being withdrawn in the second half, and late callup Cheng Chin-lung remaining unused on the bench.

What's next

We travel to Tsing Yi for our final away game of the regular season as we take on Rangers (17th January, 6pm) before seven games at our temporary home ground in Tseung Kwan O follow. Hope to see you there. The transfer window is open and Kitchee have already seen Tuscany move to Spain and Anson Wong come in, and we'll keep you updated with any news as it happens.

Please follow us on social media to stay up to date with the latest Kitchee news. We passed 550 followers on Instagram and are at over 400 on Facebook. Facebook Instagram

Thanks to Scoop for photos. Find his work linked below and go and follow

Scoop Facebook Instagram

Match highlights

Oh what fun it is to see Kitchee win away! North District 1 Kitchee 2

Credits to Scoop

Kitchee maintained an unbeaten league start to the league season with a hard-fought win over North District. Our Sheung Shui opponents have been a bogey team in recent years, but second half goals from the Spanish duo of Leandro (his first from open play for the club) and Adrian, both set up by substitute Jay Haddow saw Kitchee go 2-0 up midway through the half. North District's prolific striker Samuel Granada pulled one back, but Kitchee held on, showing a resilience less commonly seen in previous Kitchee trips up north.

Team news

Ari, Juninho, Martinez came into the starting eleven, with Jordan and Lung dropping to the bench. Kendy was injured and replaced in the matchday squad by the returning Mingazov. Wang Zhenpeng and Matthew Slattery also returned to the bench. Tan Chun-lok made his 50th appearance for Kitchee.

Bear; Riera, Jason, Dantas; Ari (Haddow 46), Illarra, Lok, Juninho (Jordan 71); Kanda (Mingazov 61), Adrian, Leandro

Unused subs: Wang, Lung, Beattie, Slattery, Li

Match highlights

Credits to Scoop

Kitchee had a bright start, where Leandro had a soft penalty appeal denied. Home captain Danilo Santos headed over from a corner, before Leandro and Ari went close to giving Kitchee the lead. A Kitchee freekick was flicked on by Riera onto the post, and after some pinball Adrian blasted over. A moment of possible controversy ensued in the closing stages of the half; a risky ball from Riera was intercepted, and from the resulting counterattack Jason missed a tackle, and in recovery Lok dived in, receiving a yellow card when the opposing fans wanted a red- obvious bias aside, the yellow was the right call given Lok got the ball first. Weverton blasted over and the first half ended goalless.

Credits to Scoop

Haddow came on for Ari at half time, and he crossed for Kanda who went close early. A few minutes later Haddow set up Leandro who cut inside for his first open play goal this season. Vinicius went close, and earlier in the game had proven himself to be a bit of a pantomime villain for his theatrics. More good work from Haddow on the right set up Adrian, who needed two bites at the cherry to double Kitchee's lead. North District pushed on, and with just over ten minutes left Mingazov's shanked pass screwed up the defence, and Vinicius crossed for the clinical Granada to pull one back, giving Kitchee fans bad memories of the previous trips to this ground when they collapsed late on. But this time Kitchee held on which sent them six points clear.

Fan feedback

Credits to Scoop

Another game and another win, and Kitchee go into the Christmas break six points clear of second placed Lee Man. Kitchee worked hard in the first half and probably should have been a goal ahead. Jay Haddow's introduction at half time changed the game, with the youngster getting both assists with good work down the right hand side. Juninho continued in an unfamiliar left wing back role and worked hard, with teenager Ari Lam on the other side. Adrian scored again, and is proving himself to be a goal threat when he spends more time in the box. Ilarra and Tan Chun-lok in midfield were imperious, and the defensive trio complements each other well. The only minor blips were the careless pass from Riera and missed tackle from Jason which forced Lok into a desperate lunge, and Mingazov's ambitious cross-field pass to Dantas which led to North District's consolation goal.

What's next

Credits to SportsRoad

A Hong Kong team will take on Guangdong in the 44th Hong Kong-Guangdong Cup. The first leg is the 28th December in Hong Kong, with the second leg on the 3rd January in Guangdong- tickets for the home leg are available on ticketflap from 3pm on the 15th December. First game for interim boss Roberto 'Chino' Losada, who spent ten years at Kitchee as player and assistant coach before moving to rivals Eastern. Seven Kitchee players were named in the preliminary squad- Hong Kong squad regulars Tan Chun-lok and Junior being joined by Jay Haddow, Jason Kam, Jordan Lam, Cheng Chin-lung and Pong Cheuk-hei. It remains to be seen whether the final squad is full strength, or whether it is more of a development side given that reports suggest Guangdong will send an U20 side. For Kitchee we return with away games against HKFC (11/1) and Rangers (17/1) and then six successive home games, where it is still yet to be determined officially whether that will be Mong Kok Stadium, Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground or Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground. Tuscany Shek has departed on loan, moving to Huesca U19 in Spain, where fellow Kitchee loanee Yu Ching-wai is based. This is a path well-trodden by Kitchee youngsters in recent years, with Jason Yuen and 2025 Chinese Player of the Year nominee Shinichi Chan (now at Shanghai Shenhua) amongst those to have moved. Tuscany made his debut aged fifteen in the Sapling Cup, and went on to make twelve appearances in that competition, as well as a league debut in early 2024. Despite not turning eighteen until Christmas Day he was a part of over fifty matchday squads, and we hope he can use his experience in Spain to develop longer term for Kitchee and for the Hong Kong team.

Credits to SportsRoad

Please follow us on social media to stay up to date with the latest Kitchee news. We passed 550 followers on Instagram and are at over 400 on Facebook. Facebook Instagram

Thanks to Scoop and SportsRoad for photos. Find their work linked below and go follow them

Scoop Facebook Instagram

Sportsroad

Match highlights

Two important wins for Kitchee, but football an insignificance considering recent events in Hong Kong

Written by Adam O'Domhnaill

Credits to SportsRoad

After the emotion of Hong Kong's elimination from Asian Cup qualifying a few weeks ago, Hong Kong football fans were disheartened. But the tragic events of last week's fire in Hong Kong reminded people that football is just a game, and puts life into perspective. Over a hundred and fifty people lost their lives, and thousands have lost their homes, and in the wake of a tragedy of this scale results on the pitch matter little. At Angry Boundary Street we offer our condolences to all of those affected and ask that our followers continue to support where they can the initiatives helping people rebuild their lives. We'll continue to share these on our social media channels, and please make us aware of any more that we can share or get involved with. Kitchee's game against Eastern District saw proceeds from the match go to the Salvation Army's fundraiser, and the shirts of players were auctioned off for large sums of money. Amazing to see the Hong Kong football community come together, with Tuesday night raising over HK$700,000. Offside.hk and HK Kickers  both went into more depth as to what different clubs and individuals have done for those affected.

Hong Kong played twice in the November international break, with three Kitchee players featuring. Veteran goalkeeper Wang Zhenpeng played 180 minutes for Hong Kong, making his return after over three years, and becoming Hong Kong's oldest ever player- a shock inclusion in the squad to begin with, and even more so when he started both games. Tan Chun-lok and Juninho were both rested for the friendly, and then played the full 90 in the defeat to Singapore which saw Hong Kong eliminated and Ashley Westwood depart. A number of Kitchee's younger players went away on training camps with Hong Kong youth sides.

Southern 2 Kitchee 4

Credits to SportsRoad

Illarramendi got a first Kitchee start, and came into the side alongside Dantas, Lung and Mingazow. Law, Jason and Adrian dropped to the bench, with Kanda left out of the side. Kitchee were depleted owing to a couple of injuries, and some of Kitchee's schoolboys not being able to play at the ridiculous kick off time of 3pm on a non public holiday Wednesday. This left Kitchee with only six players on the bench, with Pong Cheuk-hei still recovering from his summer shoulder surgery.

Wang; Lung (Law 67), Riera, Dantas, Beattie (Jason 67); Martinez (Adrian 60), Illarramendi, Lok (c); Mingazow (Chan 71), Juninho (Jordan 60), Kendy

Unused sub: Tuscany

Match events

Credits to SportsRoad

Kitchee had a couple of early corners that they couldn't capitalise on, with Illarra going close. Southern earned a penalty for handball against Dantas, converted by Stefan after 14 mins. As the half hour approached, nice hold up play from Leandro teed up Kendy for his third goal of the season. Kitchee scored a second soon after; Juninho kept the ball alive and recycling for Kendy to finish. Mingazow cut in from the right to score a third, before being fouled in the box minutes later. Leandro stepped up and it was 4-1 at half time. Southern pulled one back on the hour and had further chances, but Kitchee held firm in a drab second half. Kitchee's best chance to extend the lead came when youngster Chan Shing-chun blazed over.

Credits to Scoop

Kitchee 1 Eastern District 0

Kitchee made five changes as they played midweek, in an emotional evening for all involved given the previous week's events. Pong Cheuk-hei (Bear) came in in goal for a Kitchee debut after a lengthy recovery, and Jason, Jordan, Kanda and Adrian also came in. Mingazow dropped out completely through injury, with Wang also out of the squad. Beattie, Martinez and Juninho dropped to the bench. Jay Haddow recovered from injury to come onto the bench, as did four of Kitchee's young players given the more conventional kick off time.

Bear; Riera, Jason, Dantas; Lung (Juninho 46), Illarramendi, Lok (c), Jordan (Beattie 77); Kanda (Martinez 67), Adrian, Kendy

Unused subs: Law, Haddow, Tuscany, Li, Ari, Cheung

Match events

Credits to Scoop

Jordan was denied by a great save from Li Yat-chun, deputising for the suspended Paulo. Illarra made a great block to keep the score level. Kitchee's centre backs started bringing the ball out of defence but nothing was breaking down a resilient Eastern District, marshalled by Kitchee legend Helio. With the last kick of the half, Kanda scored a sublime free kick from just outside the box. As the second half began Kanda and Juninho both went close, before Illarra cemented his man of the match award with an acrobatic clearance off the line. Kitchee did have chances; Leandro coming closest when he blazed over the bar from inside the box. A gritty 1-0 win in emotional circumstances.

Fans feedback

Two games, two wins, and Kitchee this season have only lost once in ten games. They have five clean sheets already this season (only one fewer than last year with over the half the season still to come) and are showing the ability to win ugly. But there was a lack of fluency against Eastern District, and a more prolific opponent may have scored. Kitchee's attack looks very good when firing on all cylinders but sometimes flatters to deceive. Adrian's movement helps build attacks, but when he drops wide and/or deep we struggle to get other bodies into the box, and our attacks can peter out. Bear had a solid debut in goal, and his distribution is very good, and hopefully he helps us hit new heights. Jason Kam has come on so much in defence, either when starting or a substitute, and Jordan Lam has improved from last year, as he is used in a more favourable position. Asier Illarramendi was given man of the match on Tuesday and while he is probably not at 100% yet, he looks a class above everyone else. Kanda bounced back from being left out against Southern to score a sublime freekick, and the tactical fluidity shown by Calderon, mixing up formations and using players in different positions. This is a marked change from the rigidity shown by previous coaches, and hopefully Kitchee can continue this momentum.

What's next

North District away on 13th December, 3pm kick off in Sheung Shui. A big test against a team that have done well this season. They knocked us out of the Senior Shield in September and drew with us at Mong Kok in October. This marks our last fixture of 2025.

Angry Boundary Street had been raising money for men's health charities both in Hong Kong and around the world throughout the month of November. The team moved over 2000km and raised over HK$14000. Last week we decided to direct people to donate to the various organisations supporting those affected by last week's Tai Po fire and will continue to do so on our social media platforms. You can check out our pages here, but please direct your donations to more pressing issues in Hong Kong. We are extremely grateful for anyone who has supported our campaigning, but there are people in greater need of help.

Movember Hong Kong Cancer Fund

Please follow us on social media to stay up to date with the latest Kitchee news. We passed 550 followers on Instagram and are at over 400 on Facebook. Facebook Instagram

Thanks to Scoop and SportsRoad for photos. Find their work linked below and go follow them

Scoop Facebook Instagram

Sportsroad

From Kitchee academy to the Hong Kong team

In September 2025, the Kitchee Centre in Shek Mun celebrated its tenth anniversary, providing a dedicated space for Kitchee's senior team and academy to train. In November 2025, Kitchee's academy was awarded the 'Youth Academy of the Year (Boys) at the AFC awards in Malaysia. Kitchee Academy has previously earned 2 star certification from the AFC Elite Youth Scheme, and from its initial formation as the Hong Kong Barcelona Football School in 2008, to the change to Kitchee Football Academy in 2011, it has provided free training to players between the ages of 6-22, giving them opportunities to compete locally and overseas. A number of players currently in Hong Kong's squad for the crucial Asian Cup qualifier with Singapore spent some of their development years at Kitchee, and here we look at how their careers progressed, while also looking at those around the squad in recent months. We are aware that in recent years the path from the academy to Kitchee's first team has stagnated in recent years, and that a number of these players would have not reached the heights they have had they stayed with Kitchee.

Current squad

Ngan Cheuk-pan, 27 years old, 21 caps, Tai Po

Joined Kitchee in 2008, and left permanently in 2025. Left Kitchee temporarily for NCAA commitments and loans during his seventeen years, but made over 50 senior appearances before joining Tai Po this summer. Won three league titles, including the treble winning campaigns of 2016/17 and 2022/23. A key part of Westwood's setup, having made his debut under Andersen without being a regular squad player.

Sun Ming-him, 25 years old, 41 caps, 2 goals, Tianjin Jinmen Tiger

The versatile player spent his early career at Kitchee, before leaving as a teenager. Spent many years in the Hong Kong Premier League before moving to the Chinese Super League in early 2024, first with Cangzhou and now with Tianjin. Debuted for Hong Kong aged eighteen and has been in and around the squad ever since, and will probably reach 50 caps in the next year or so. 

Barak Braunshtain, 26 years old, uncapped, Lee Man

Born in Hong Kong to Israeli parents, he joined Kitchee as a child and made his debut for the club aged eighteen. Scored in the victorious 2020 Sapling Cup final. He left Kitchee in 2021 to pursue a career in Israel, before returning to Hong Kong in 2024, with spells at Eastern, Rangers and now Lee Man. His early years being spent in Hong Kong made him eligible for a Hong Kong passport, which he finally received in November 2025 after a long process, and was instantly added to the squad.

Jesse Yu Joy-hin, 24 years old, 19 caps, 2 goals, Shijiazhuang Gongfu

Like a number of young Hong Kong footballers, Jesse played for multiple youth teams, with Kitchee being one of them for a short time. He later played professionally in Hong Kong for Happy Valley, Rangers and Eastern, before moving to Shijiazhuang in China League One at the start of this year. He made his international debut aged twenty, and while he hasn't been a regular starter he has always been around the squad.

Matt Orr, 28 years old, 45 caps, 12 goals, Shenzhen Peng City

He joined Kitchee aged eleven, before moving to the USA to the famous IMG Academy and eventually at NCAA level, while training with Kitchee in his breaks. He eventually made his Kitchee debut in early 2020, spending two and a half years at the club and appearing over fifty times. He then moved to Guangxi Pingguo Haliao in China League One, where his goalscoring exploits earned him a move to Shenzhen in the Chinese Super League, although his minutes have been limited. After three goals in his first six Hong Kong games, he had a two year international goal drought. But under the management of Westwood (and Luisser's interim spell before) he has scored nine goals in his last nineteen games. Often deputised as captain, and approaching 50 caps.

Michael Udebuluzor, 21 years old, 20 caps, 2 goals, Tallinna Kalev
Michael was at Kitchee as a youngster, having been born in Hong Kong to Nigerian striker Cornelius Udebuluzor during his own playing career. Michael left Kitchee aged fourteen to move to Germany, where he developed and played in the lower leagues of German football. In 2025 he had agreed a move to Suzhou Dongwu of China League One, but his controversial comments following the EAFF tie between Hong Kong and China saw this contract cancelled, and instead he moved to Tallinna Kalev in the Estonian first tier. He made his international debut in September 2023, and has been fairly regular in squads under both Andersen and Westwood, even if he has not scored since his second appearance.

Called up to a senior Hong Kong squad in 2025

Sohgo Ichikawa, 21 years old, 2 caps, Southern

He progressed from the Kitchee academy to the first team, making twenty-eight appearances after debuting aged sixteen. On the fringes for most of his time at the club, he spent two seasons on loan at Southern before joining them permanently this summer. Got a HK debut aged seventeen, before earning his second cap nearly three years later. On the fringes of the squad, but given the age of other attacking midfielders it seems likely he will earn more caps in the future when these players move on.

Clement Benhaddouche, 29 years old, 2 caps, Shenzhen Juniors

At Kitchee at the same time as schoolfriend Matt Orr, he also moved to the USA and IMG Academy, before playing NCAA at the University of Massachusetts. Rejoining Kitchee in early 2019, he made forty-four appearances, and won the treble before he left for China. After eighteen months where he was dogged by a couple of major injuries, he returned to HK with Eastern in early 2025, before moving back to China League One in the summer. Had to wait until the age of twenty nine for a debut this summer, and given his age and other options opportunities will likely be limited moving forward.

Anson Wong Ho-chun, 23 years old, 2 caps, Qingdao Hainiu

The versatile attacker began his career in Kitchee's youth academy, before moving to South China, where he broke through for a senior debut in the second tier aged sixteen. He later moved on to Lee Man and then Eastern, before moving to Qingdao in the Chinese Super League at the start of 2025. Despite playing in the Chinese top tier (albeit not starting regularly) this has not translated into regular Hong Kong minutes, with both of his caps being earned well before his move.

Here we have nine players recently in squads, and there is a whole host of Hong Kong internationals around the Hong Kong Premier League where Kitchee played some part in their youth development. Also, Shinichi Chan was at Kitchee as a teenager, but he joined the first team aged sixteen. In a different way, Yue Tze-nam is pictured in the Barcelona Football School days, but from our research Kitchee is not listed on his transfermarkt or Wikipedia profiles, and he was at Eastern from the age of ten. Therefore, we do not list them as Kitchee played a very minor part in their development. 

We expect to see more former academy players on the biggest stage in the years to come, with numerous youth internationals currently or formerly in the Kitchee academy setup. Who will be the next to break through and become a key part of the Hong Kong national team?