League Cup exit (ish), ASEAN Cup victory for Hong Kong and a routine victory over HKFC

Summary

It has been a busy few weeks for Kitchee's players, as a depleted side were knocked out (sort of) of the League Cup by Eastern, but the 'Redemption Group' factor this season means Kitchee can still win the competition. Hong Kong were victorious in the inaugural ASEAN Challenge Cup, as clean sheet victories over Laos, Brunei and Cambodia sealed victory, with seven of our squad featuring. We rounded it off with a comfortable victory over HKFC, helping Kitchee prepare well for Thursday's upcoming away day in the ACL2.

League Cup- Eastern 3 Kitchee 1

Team news

Kitchee were missing twelve players for their first domestic cup tie of the season. We had seven players away with the Hong Kong team, along with four injuries and one suspension. Kitchee only fielded a five man bench, and throughout the game Calderon handed out two first team debuts (Sephrey Ma from the start and David Poon Wing-kei off the bench) and gave Yu Ching-wai his first professional start, two and a half years after his debut, which came as a late substitute in the Sapling Cup. There were first appearances of the season for Enikar, Nic Cheung and Li Siu-hin, and Kitchee started the game with four teenagers on the pitch, and for the majority of the first half half of the outfield players were under twenty.

Enikar; Riera, Marcos (David 19), Chingwai; Shingchun (Siuhin 73); Nic Cheung (Mingazow 46), Lung (c) (Illarramendi 46), Kendy, Sephrey; Adrian, Obieta

Unused sub: Tuscany

Match events

Kitchee did not take too long to open the scoring. A long ball from Marcos into the Eastern right back area looked to have just gained field position. But as Lam Hin-ting attempted to shield the ball out of play, debutant Sephrey Ma outmuscled him and crossed for Adrian Revilla to score his third goal of the season. Enikar had to be alert to keep out Marcos Gondra's freekick, before Marcos went down with a leg injury midway through the first half, which forced Calderon to bring on debutant David Poon, meaning Kitchee's back three featured two teenagers. Sephrey had a superb chance to continue a memorable debut, but when 1 on 1 with the keeper he could only shoot straight at him. Eastern grew into the game, with Enikar denying Carlos Alonso, before a collapse just before half time turned the game on its head. Gondra held off the Kitchee defence to turn and score first time, before two Okubo goals in stoppage time gave him his 5th and 6th goals against Kitchee in only his third game.

Kitchee sent on the veterans Illarramendi and Mingazow to try and claw the game back, but to no avail. Kitchee's task got even harder when Yu Ching-wai was sent off with twenty minutes to go, becoming the third Kitchee player to be sent off in as many games (although all three could be argued to be harsh, specifically the first yellows). Okubo could and probably should have had a hat trick, having one ruled out for offside and posing Riera all kinds of problems. Li Siu-hin and Felipe Sa traded good chances, but ultimately Eastern won.

Fan feedback

Calderon was forced to use a lot of Kitchee's young players, and while we did lose the young players took the opportunity. Sephrey Ma impressed on the left, and assisted Kitchee's goal (and should have scored too). Chan Shing-chun is clearly rated by the club, getting regular minutes in a crucial season for him; he is currently studying to be a dentist, and in the next year or so it will be harder to pursue professional football. In another wacky way for HKFA to draw interest to the League Cup with depleted sides (as almost all games are scheduled to be played during international breaks), teams who are knocked out still have the opportunity to win the competition through a redemption round. We're confused too. It is stupid of HKFA to schedule games when teams are so much weaker- while injuries and suspensions are a part of football, expecting a team to play a competitive game with seven players on international duty, regardless of whether 'unlimited foreigners' are allowed, makes a mockery of the competition. Eastern did play well but ultimately turned the game on its head just before half time, and the personnel available to Kitchee, plus ineffective attacking play and a harsh red card meant victory was unlikely.

Kitchee 4 HKFC 0

Team news

Kitchee had Kanda and Ari still out injured, with Marcos joining the list after the Eastern game with a hip injury, and Dudu left out as a precaution following a minor injury on international duty. Yu Ching-wai was suspended. Six of Kitchee's victorious Hong Kong internationals returned to the squad, with Camarasa returning from suspension and Jay Haddow recovering to take a place on the bench. Kitchee made eight changes from the League Cup side as a result, with only Riera, Adrian and Obieta retaining their spots.

Bear; Riera, Jason, Beattie; Mingazow (c), Camarasa (Lok 66), Illarramendi (Everton 71), Junior, Jordan (Haddow 58); Obieta (Sephrey 71), Adrian (Shingchun 66)

Unused subs: Lung, Kendy, Tuscany, Nic Cheung, Liang Kui-chung

Match events

HKFC had a good opportunity early on, as youngsters Bennie and McGunnigle combined to put a dangerous ball in, which Jordan Lam cleared. Juninho saw his left footed cross rebound to him, and taking it on his weaker right found the top corner. Kitchee had a second five minutes later; Camarasa was obstructed in trying to get on the end of a Juninho cross, and Adrian converted the resulting penalty for his fourth goal in five games. Mingazow was denied by a good save, before Obieta scored a nice goal after being set up by Camarasa, who hustled Habib off the ball. Juninho got his second and Kitchee's fourth in stoppage time after a low cross from Mingazow, and Kitchee led 4-0 at half time.

With the game finished as a contest at half time, the second half was not the most exciting. HKFC had their first real shot, with a freekick straight down Bear's throat that he easily dealt with. Illarramendi, metronomic as always, teed up Obieta who fired just wide. Despite not needing to play intensely, Kitchee continued to push for another goal. Mingazow narrowly missed after good play by Beattie, and Sephrey Ma was denied becoming Kitchee's youngest ever goalscorer as Mingazow accidentally handballed in the buildup. Everton nearly scored a freekick, while the unlucky Mingazow just mistimed his run onto a Jay Haddow long ball, with his well-taken goal disallowed for offside. HKFC had one final chance, as Cian Coleman had a shot in the closing moments, and Kitchee were able to enjoy a comfortable win with players being taken off early with an eye on Thursday's away game in Kuching.

Fan feedback

Calderon named a strong team to get the job done, and the game was essentially over as a contest after fifteen minutes. He was able to get both strikers, Illarramendi and Camarasa all off early, although some fans may feel these changes could have come earlier, given Kitchee were 4-0 up at half time. It was good to see Haddow back to the pitch after nearly a month out, and given Ari Lam's long term injury he will likely play a role in the two crucial games taking place this week. In the first half the finishing was clinical, with Kitchee overloading the HKFC defence and scoring four goals. The second half saw Kitchee being able to play the game at a leisurely pace, with a young HKFC side offering very little. Kitchee did have two goals ruled out and went close a number of times. The pairing of Adrian and Obieta seems very popular for Calderon, and both looked more joined up today, as Kitchee's crossing and general buildup was much better than the League Cup defeat.

ASEAN roundup

Hong Kong 4-0 Laos

Six Kitchee players started, with Lok captaining, Beattie debuting and Bear keeping a clean sheet. Everton scored one and set up two, while Dudu and Junior also started, with Jason Kam an unused sub. This was the first time in three years that two or more goals for the Hong Kong team were scored by Kitchee players. Beattie became the fourth Kitchee player to debut in 2026 (following Bear, Jason and Jay Haddow). With seven players in this squad with a further two used this year (Haddow and Jordan Lam), it shows our local players are clearly amongst the best in HKPL.

Hong Kong 2-0 Brunei

A much more boring game, with Jason Kam playing 90 minutes in his first professional start. Both Callum Beattie and Junior started for the second game in a row, with Junior setting up Hong Kong's opening goal. Everton came on as a sub and set up Hong Kong's second, with Bear, Dudu and Lok all being unused.

Hong Kong 2-0 Cambodia

Hong Kong got revenge for the friendly defeat in June, and despite not playing amazingly they got thejob done. Bear started again, and in three home games is yet to concede a goal, and Lok again captained with Dudu and Everton starting. Jason, Beattie and Junior all saw action from the bench. Everton scored his first Kai Tak goal with a second half penalty which sealed victory for Hong Kong.

What's next

Kitchee next play against Kuching away on the 15th October. This kicks off at 8.15pm Hong Kong time and will be shown on HoyTV, where Mingazow will be banned and we will be without a few long term absentees. This is followed up by a crucial game away to Lee Man at 6pm on the 19th (public holiday) at Mong Kok.

Please follow us on social media to stay up to date with the latest Kitchee news. We are at over 650 followers on Instagram and are at over 400 on Facebook. Facebook Instagram.

Photos by Kitchee

Written by Adam O'Domhnaill

10 man Kitchee hold on for point in ACL2 opener- Kitchee 0 Gangwon 0

Match summary

Kitchee started off their ACL2 campaign with a 0-0 draw against a young, rotated Gangwon FC side. Both sides had chances to take the lead, but the almost three thousand fans inside Mong Kok Stadium were denied a grandstand finish, as Ruslan Mingazow's second yellow card saw Kitchee tighten up and hold on for twenty five minutes with ten men. Kitchee will come away feeling as if the game was there for the taking, but getting a point against one of the best teams in the competition (even if they were heavily rotated) is a start that Kitchee can build on.

Team news

Kitchee switched from Saturday's 433 into a 442 shape. The injured Jay Haddow was replaced by Marcos, with Roger Riera moving out to right back. Having started on the bench on Saturday Camarasa, Everton and Obieta came into the starting lineup, with Lung, Kendy and Juninho making way. One change to Asian competitions since Kitchee were last involved is that unlimited foreign players are allowed, which meant Enikar came onto the bench along with sixteen year old Sephrey Ma, who only debuted for Kitchee U22s a week ago. Yumemi Kanda remained out injured. 

Bear; Riera, Dudu, Marcos, Beattie; Mingazow (c), Illarramendi, Camarasa (Kendy 65), Everton; Adrian (Ari 78 (Juninho 83), Obieta (Lok 78)

Unused subs: Lung, Enikar, Jason, Jordan, Shingchun, Nic Cheung, Chingwai, Sephrey

Match highlights

Bear had to be alert midway through the half to make two good saves. The first one came from a close range header that he held onto, and moments later he tipped over a long shot. Mingazow had Kitchee's best chance of the half, heading just wide from a Beattie cross as the first half ended with Kitchee more than happy to let Gangwon have the ball, although Kitchee did have some shouts for a penalty dismissed when Riera was shoved in the back.

Gangwon hit the post from long range just after half time, before Kitchee had two golden chances. A clever freekick routine found its way to the giant Marcos, but he could only head over. Then Adrian cleverly worked the ball forward to Obieta, who dawdled on the ball taking too many touches before firing wide. Controversy struck in the seventieth minute when captain for the day Mingazow received a second yellow card for handball in the Gangwon box, while being challenged for the ball. Considering his first card was for running into the keeper on the floor accidentally, this was an extremely harsh pair of decisions. Kitchee almost immediately shut up shop, with both strikers being removed and Ari Lam and Tan Chun-lok entering the fray as Kitchee switched to a 441- everton played centre forward with Kendy and Ari Lam on the wings. However this only lasted a matter of minutes as Ari Lam appeared to sustain a nasty injury to his lower leg and was swiftly removed. Kitchee held on through the six minutes of stoppage time to claim what could be a vital point, but may feel more points were on offer.

Fan feedback

Kitchee did show a great deal of resilience playing so long with ten men. But they will probably rue their chances- while there were very few clearcut opportunities, the game was there for the taking and with a bit more composure they could be celebrating a historic win. There were some suspect refereeing decisions with a number of fouls not given and Mingazow harshly sent off. While there is an argument to be made that he did handle the ball, he was clearly off balance from the defender's challenge. To show a second yellow in these circumstances when the first one was for running in a straight line into a sliding goalkeeper on the ground is ridiculous. He becomes the second Kitchee player to be sent off in a week, after no reds for over a year, and is the first Kitchee foreign player to be sent off since himself in November 2024. He will therefore miss the trip to Malaysia, although the location is still yet to be confirmed. It is noteworthy that in the official highlights posted by AFC, they did not include the sending off. Fans also hope that Ari Lam is ok, after he was stretchered off barely five minutes after coming on with what looked like a nasty leg injury. With Jay Haddow already ruled out for a period of time, Kitchee will likely look to Roger Riera to deputise at right back for the next couple of games (as he did on Thursday), although the international break has fallen at a semi-convenient time, with over three weeks until the next league game. 

Time will tell whether this was one point gained or two points dropped- Calderon abandoned his typical high possession strategy in favour of going a bit more direct and to avoid losing the ball in the Kitchee half. But Kitchee did send far too many overhit crosses to the back post, and resisted the opportunities to test the goalkeeper from range. Marcos was key in both boxes, nearly scoring and being solid defensively, while Kendy had a bright cameo when he came on and Illarramendi was outstanding as always, although Bear won the official man of the match award for a couple of key saves. When the full time whistle sounded Kitchee had an xG of 0.93, compared to Gangwon's 0.17, but only two of Kitchee's twelve shots were on target (both blocked) meaning Gangwon's goalkeeper did not have to make a meaningful save.

What's next

Kitchee next play in the League Cup against Eastern on September 26th at Tai Po, 4pm kickoff. Kitchee will be without seven players called up for international duty- (Jason, Lok, Bear, Everton, Dudu, Beattie and Juninho), Camarasa through suspension and potentially three more through injury. This will be a great opportunity for some of the younger players to impress. Hong Kong play in the ASEAN Cup on 27th and 30th, and maybe the 3rd October if they win the group. Kitchee return to league action on the 10th October against HKFC.

Please follow us on social media to stay up to date with the latest Kitchee news. We are at over 650 followers on Instagram and are at over 400 on Facebook. Facebook Instagram.

Photos by Kitchee

Written by Adam O'Domhnaill

Three goals and three points with one eye on the ACL- Southern 1 Kitchee 3

Match summary

Kitchee picked up another vital three points with victory away at Southern. Goals from Mingazow and Juninho made Kitchee comfortable at half time, before a chaotic ending saw Adrian score a third for Kitchee, Golubovic pull one back for Southern and Kitchee finished with nine men after Jay Haddow got injured and Victor Camarasa got a second yellow card. Southern's marketing this season has attracted more fans than usual, and for the first time in over three years Aberdeen saw 1000 fans come in for a Southern game.

Team news 

Kitchee made four changes for Saturdays encounter, with a clear eye on Thursday's upcoming ACL2 tie. Cheng Chin-lung and Juninho came in for their first starts of the season, with Roger Riera and Adrian Revilla also coming in. Camarasa, Everton and Obieta dropped to the bench, with Marcos being left out of the matchday squad after three successive ninety minutes. Yumemi Kanda appeared to be injured, being absent for a third game in a row.

Bear; Haddow, Riera, Dudu (Jason 59), Beattie; Lung (Jordan 46), Illarramendi (Lok 71), Kendy; Mingazow (c) (Camarasa 46), Adrian, Juninho (Everton 46)

Unused subs: Obieta, Tuscany, Chan Shingchun, Li Siuhin, Ari, Yu Ching-wai

Match events

Ivan Ng in the Southern goal did well to hold onto two early Kitchee efforts; first from Adrian, and secondly from Illarramendi's header after Kendy's freekick. Midway through the half Lung put pressure on the Southern defence who could not deal with a high ball. Adrian turned nicely to play in Mingazow, who scored despite desperate defending on the goal line. Jay Haddow's cross was headed down by Juninho but Adrian's fierce shot went just wide. As half time approached Mingazow's cross from the right was bundled in by Juninho, and Kitchee almost extended the lead before the whistle; the lively Adrian hit the post, and Mingazow saw a good effort saved by Ivan.

Calderon made three changes at half time with Kitchee comfortable and Southern barely making any chances of note. Mingazow, Lung and Juninho came off to be replaced by Camarasa, Everton and Jordan Lam. Fabio Erins headed over from a corner for Southern, before Adrian couldn't quite poke in Camarasa's through ball. Kitchee had a nice passing move down the right finished off by Kendy, but an offside by Everton in the build up saw it ruled out. The energetic Golubovic went close, before Everton hit a freekick wide as the stadium became wetter and gloomier. Southern pushed a way back in, with Bear denying Golubovic and Stefan, the second an outstanding save. Kitchee secured the three points as Adrian scored a well-deserved goal to cap off a man of the match display, poking in Everton's deflected cross. But Southern struck a consolation through Golubovic as Kitchee could not deal with a long ball, as Haddow got injured, and he was eventually stretchered off leaving Kitchee a man down. Victor Camarasa then got sent off in stoppage time for a second yellow card, harshly adjudged to have kicked the ball away for Kitchee's first red card in a year.

Fan feedback

There was some good attacking play by Kitchee, who dominated possession and probably feel they could have scored more. Calderon was able to leave Obieta on the bench with Thursday in mind, while other key players were not run into the ground. Given the quality of opponent it is understandable Kitchee have shuffled the pack repeatedly this season; Bear is the only player to play every minute, while Dudu is the only other player to start all four games. Key midfielders Illarramendi, Camarasa and Tan Chun-lok all go into Thursday relatively fresh, all playing less than 200 minutes each. For a large part of the second half we saw Everton playing left wing and Jordan playing right wing, and maybe we see this unfamiliar combination used again in future.

For the second time in a row Kitchee gave up a clean sheet in the closing stages, and Kitchee will need to be significantly tighter at the back against better opposition. Jay Haddow looks to have torn a hamstring, which while better than the ACL injury that some fans feared when he went down, he will miss Thursday and presumably the Hong Kong games. Camarasa's red card was silly but also harsh; the first yellow was for a foul later given the other way; the second for kicking the ball away, which is rarely given. He will be banned for Kitchee's League Cup game against Eastern on 26th September.

What's next 

We take on Gangwon at Mong Kok on the 17th. There will be limited tickets available on the gate, but fans can buy individual tickets or the three game package here. Our next domestic game is the League Cup tie with Eastern, 4pm on Saturday 26th at Tai Po Sports Ground. For that game we will be without the injured Jay Haddow and suspended Victor Camarasa, as well as whichever Hong Kong players make the final cut for the ASEAN Cup.

Please follow us on social media to stay up to date with the latest Kitchee news. We are at over 650 followers on Instagram and are at over 400 on Facebook. Facebook Instagram Photos by Kitchee

Written by Adam O'Domhnaill

Asian Champions League 2 Preview

Between 2012 and 2023 Kitchee qualified for either the Asian Champions League or the AFC Cup every season. After consecutive fourth place finishes in the league and a lack of cup success ruined the streak, their title win last season earned them a return, albeit the restructuring of Asian club competitions means they enter the second tier Asian Champions League 2. While Kitchee lost four of six games in the 2023/24 Champions League, they did make history in 2022 by becoming the first Hong Kong team to reach the knockout stages, and in 2018 they were the first Hong Kong team to win a game.

Kitchee will be looking to make Mong Kok Stadium into a fortress for the competition, with the small stadium hopefully being intimidating to players used to much bigger stadia. As Kitchee used Hong Kong Stadium in 2023/24, and the two previous campaigns were hosted in neutral venues due to COVID-19, Kitchee have not played a continental game at Mong Kok since April 2019. Kitchee club president Ken Ng stated after winning the league in May that the aim was to go one better than in 2022, meaning the quarter finals. This is a rather ambitious aim, but a slightly favourable group draw will have fans dreaming. But fans are not being arrogant or complacent; given the vast sums spent by clubs across Asian football, Kitchee will be underdogs.

Kitchee have never played any of our opponents before, so in this preview we look at Kitchee's record against teams from their leagues. We also look at key players and tactics that we can expect, and look at the experience in Kitchee's squad when it comes to continental competition. 

Kitchee have lost all five previous encounters with South Korean opposition, with a qualifying defeat on penalties to Ulsan in 2017 coming in between four losses to Jeonbuk Hyundai, in 2018 and 2023/24. Against Malaysian opponents Kitchee have picked up three wins, two draws and three defeats, with one of these being another qualifying penalty shootout, this time against Perak in 2019. Kitchee are yet to take on any Cambodian opposition in a competitive fixture, but Hong Kong have played Cambodia a lot in recent years, suffering a first defeat in over fifty years in June.

Note: venues and times subject to change. All times given are in HKT.

Gangwon- 17/9 8.15pm (home), 26/11 6pm (away)

History and route to ACL2

Founded in 2008, they have never won a trophy. They did finish second in the K League in 2024, which qualified them for last seasons ACL Elite (their first foray into Asian competition. They were knocked out byeventual runners up Machida Zelvia in the last sixteen after beating Shanghai Shenhua and Vissel Kobe in the group. Gangwon had a long fascination with merely making it into continental football, and are determined to win their first trophy. Given their league position Gangwon could still make the ACL Elite through the league but will fancy their chances at winning ACL2 and qualifying that way- they are probably up there with FC Seoul and Machida Zelvia as the strongest East Asian sides.

Key players and tactics

Lee Gi-hyuk

The majority of their squad is Korean, with star centre back Lee Gi-Hyuk starting all three games for South Korea at the recent World Cup. He previously made his debut against Hong Kong in 2022 EAFF, a game where veteran left back Hong Chul scored and assisted. Forward Kim Dae-Won was Gangwon's top scorer last season, and also contributed seven assists.

Despite foreign player limits being abolished in Asian competitions, Gangwon do heavily rely on their locally developed talent, and young players get regular minutes. New signing Karim Mammar is a Swedish centre back who has mostly played in Sweden, and he may partner Montenegrin international Marko Tuci, who has been at Gangwon for three years. In attack recent arrivals Nigerian winger Jesse Sekidika and former Israeli youth international forward Abdallah Hleihel will pose major threats to our defence. Sekidika played at Brooke House College with captain Tan Chun-lok, before playing for Benfica's academy and clubs in Serbia, Turkey and Azerbaijan, while Hleihel has spent the bulk of his career in his homeland. For the opening game Gangwon will be without star player Lee Gi-hyuk as well as Lee Seung-won and Shin Ma-ha through Asian Games commitments.

With a deep squad and dealing with a few injuries and suspensions Gangwon have changed their line up frequently in recent weeks, making it hard to predict. Typically they set up in a 4231 or 442 while pressing high, although there have been experiments with 541 and 343 while counterattacking. Given the talent they possess relative to Kitchee and other teams in the group, we will likely see them pressing high. Gangwon seek to create triangles and overloads in central areas, and attack the half-spaces, often with wide players cutting inside.

Chung Kyung-ho

Manager

Former assistant Chung Kyung-ho took over in December 2024 after Yoon Jong-hwan could not negotiate a new contract after securing second place in the K League. Gangwon is his first managerial role; he had spent the last decade as an assistant across Korean football. He took Gangwon to the ACL Elite knockout stages in their first continental appearance. An experienced South Korean international, he went to the 2006 World Cup.

Kuching City FC- away 8.15pm 15/10, home 8.15pm 3/12

History and route to ACL2

Founded as Kuching FA in 2015 to represent the Kuching district in Sarawak, they rebranded as Kuching City FC in 2021. They have only been in the Malaysian Super League since 2023, and finished 4th and 2nd over the last two seasons, and given the dominance of Johor Darul Tazim (JDT) no other club stands a chance of success. They rose through the leagues, starting off in the fourth tier and reached the first tier after only seven years as a club. Qualified for their maiden continental adventure by finishing second in the league after JDT secured the double yet again.

Key players and tactics

Safawi Rasid

Kuching have a number of local and foreign players on loan from JDT, which would not be allowed in many leagues around the world. Experienced attacker Safawi Rasid is one of these, a two time Malaysian player of the year. He has over seventy international caps and twenty two goals, including one against Hong Kong in 2022. Goalkeeper Haziq Nadzli spent eight years as a backup at JDT, and kept fourteen clean sheets for Kuching last season, while left winger Ramadhan Saifullah also spent time at JDT, before joining Kuching in 2024 initially on loan, and had over twenty goal contributions last season. Bosnian striker Ajdin Mujagic has just been signed on loan from JDT, and has scored twenty five goals in just over a year in Malaysia, firstly for Sabah. Australian winger Dylan Wenzel-Halls joined this summer after two outstanding years with Penang, and won the 23/24 AFC Cup (essentially the precursor competition) with Central Coast Mariners. Towering Brazilian Gabriel Peres made twenty two goal contributions in just over seventy games for Sabah before moving this summer, an insane record for a centre back, while they are captained by three capped Nigerian centre back James Okwuosa (who played with Kitchee flop Ogenyi Onazi in all three of his international games).

Kuching spent the start of last season typically in a 433 or 442 setup, but as the season progressed they also utilised 352 and 343. Despite only playing six games so far this season they have already used three different formations as they search for their best eleven. Kuching often start games aggressively, aiming to force mistakes and win territory. They also attempt a pragmatic pressing strategy, targeting key players but still keeping an element of composure. When playing a three at the back, the wing backs tend to push high and wide, becoming a 325 shape in possession, and the presence of three centre backs allows the wingbacks to function as auxiliary wingers and in Aidil Sharin they have a very adaptable head coach who alters the shape depending on the opponent and the game state.

Aidil Sharin

Manager

Kuching are managed by Singaporean Aidil Sharin, who has been in charge for nearly three years. Spent four years as an assistant at Home United in Singapore (now called Lion City Sailors) and two years as manager, before managing Kedah of Malaysia and Persikabo 1973 of Indonesia before joining Kuching in August 2023. He was in charge of Kedah when they beat Tai Po 5-1 in qualifying for the 2020 ACL, with new Kitchee signing Dudu captaining Tai Po, and has had deep runs in the AFC Cup with Home United in 2017 and 2018 and with Kedah in 2022.

Phnom Penh Crown- away 8.15pm 29/10, home 6pm 5/11

History and route to ACL2

Founded in 2001 as Smart United, they are eight time Cambodian champions (a national record), most recently in 2022, and were runner up last season. They reached the knockout stages of the 23/24 AFC Cup and the 25/26 Challenge League- in the latter they lost to compatriots and eventual runners up PKR Svay Rieng in the quarter finals.

Key players

Chanpolin Orn

Captain Chanpolin Orn came through the academy and has been captain for six years, winning multiple league titles and is closing in on fifty international caps. He may play in central midfield with youngster Samuel Bong, who scored on his international debut. Diminutive forwards Ty Sa and Yem Devit will pose a threat up front. Centre backs Rick Ketting (Dutch) and Raul Feher (Romanian) both had reasonable careers in second tier European leagues before both moving to Cambodia in 2025, while English born Australian midfielder Callum Timmins brings a lot of experience from the A League. In attack Phnom Penh have a number of options; giant Czech striker David Bares had a solid career in lower leagues in Europe, New Zealand international Moses Dyer scored twenty four goals last season for Phnom Penh, while Dutch/Surinamese forward Guytho Mijland did the same for Angkor Tiger before earning a move in the summer. Ukrainian striker Valeriy Gryshyn returned to Phnom Penh in February after two and a half years away, and often drops into midfield to act as a playmaker.  

Phnom Penh are also a team who are comfortable using a back three, and also push the wingbacks high and wide, typically starting in a 343 which turns into a 325 in possession. With wingbacks supplying the width, their attacking players can operate the space in between and really stretch the opposition. In the 343 setup the two central midfielders have major responsibility to protect against counter attacks and covering the wingbacks. Out of possession Phnom Penh drop into a back five, but if the wingbacks are high when possession is lost they can be vulnerable in transition.

Oleg Starynskyi

Manager

Phnom Penh have a very multinational coaching setup, with Cambodians working alongside a Ukrainian manager and assistant, an Italian assistant, an Egyptian goalkeeping coach and a Spanish physio. Ukrainian Oleg Starynskyi has been manager of Phnom Penh since November 2020. He overlapped on Shakhtar Donetsk's academy coaching staff with former Kitchee boss Edgar Cardoso prior to moving to Cambodia. He had previously been on the staff at Phnom Penh between January 2016 and December 2017, and has also worked in Moldova. Has won two league titles and three domestic cups with Phnom Penh.

Given the turnover of Kitchee's squad in recent years, only four current players featured in Kitchee's 23/24 campaign. Ruslan Mingazov played in four of those games, but was more effective in the 2022 campaign, scoring the winner against Chiangrai United and playing ninety minutes in the historic draw with Vissel Kobe. He also brings experience of Champions League and Europa League qualifiying from his time in Europe. Cheng Chin-lung came on three times in 23/24, but is most remembered for his historic winner against Kashiwa Reyol in 2018. Tan Chun-lok and Juninho featured sparingly in 23/24, but do bring nearly ninety combined Hong Kong appearances worth of experience.

Of the new signings, Dudu and Everton were both a part of Lee Man's shambolic 24/25 ACL2 campaign, with Everton grabbing a goal. As mentioned earlier, Dudu captained Tai Po in 2020 ACL qualifying against Aidil Sharin's Kedah, while Everton contributed to victory against Bali United in 23/24 qualifying. Yumemi Kanda scored a screamer for Rangers in 23/24 qualifying, but they could not hold on for victory. Marcos was injured for the entirety of Tai Po's campaign last season, but being around a side who went unbeaten at home will be important to the squad. 

Asier Illarramendi has the most continental experience in the squad, with it being well-known that he was a part of Real Madrid's 2013/14 victorious Champions League campaign. He also captained Real Sociedad four times in the Europa League, and he will be pivotal to any success Kitchee are to have in the competition. Roger Riera won the UEFA Youth League with Barcelona, captaining five games including the final.

The recent changes to Asian club competitions have removed foreign player limits, but it is still likely that Inigo Calderon uses a number of local players. The three at the back worked so well last year but has been less effective so far in 25/26, with Kitchee's dominant win over Eastern District coming with a conventional back four. 

Tickets for the Asian Champions League 2 games are available on Kitchee's ticketing website. Tickets are $180 plus booking fee per game, or there is a package available for $460+$15 booking fee for all three games. Ticket link

Thanks to Ross Davis from K League English for the help on previewing Gangwon FC and Lester Chan from Offside for helping to preview Phnom Penh Crown FC. You can find their socials linked.

Please follow us on social media to stay up to date with the latest Kitchee news. We are at over 650 followers on Instagram and are at over 400 on Facebook. Facebook Instagram

Written by Adam O'Domhnaill

Big win in first home game of the season- Kitchee 4 Eastern District 1

Summary

A dominant Kitchee tore Eastern District apart on Sunday night, with two goals in each half sealing a comfortable win, although the defence will be annoyed to give up the clean sheet in the closing exchanges. First half goals from Marcos and Obieta gave Kitchee a two goal lead, with Camarasa and Adrian scoring in the second half. Former Kitchee man Li Ngai-hoi (one of eight Eastern District players to spend time at Kitchee) scored a late consolation. 

Team news

Kitchee made three changes from last weeks draw with North District, with Beattie, Haddow and Illarramendi all starting for the first time this season as Calderon switched to a back four, with Adrian, Jason and Chan Shing-chun making way. There were home debuts for Dudu, Marcos, Camarasa, Everton and Obieta. Juninho returned from his head injury to take his place on the bench, and with five players still away with the Hong Kong under 20s Kitchee only named eight substitutes. 

Bear; Haddow (Ari 52), Dudu, Marcos, Beattie; Illarramendi (Lok 79), Camarasa (Lung 64), Kendy (Jordan 64); Mingazow (c) (Adrian 56), Obieta (Juninho 56), Everton

Unused subs: Jason, Tuscany

Match events

Everton hit the post early from an offside position, as Kitchee dominated the opening exchanges. Kendy whipped in a dangerous freekick, and after Illarramendi's effort was blocked, Marcos opened his goalscoring account for Kitchee. Charlie Scott, playing against Kitchee for the first time since leaving two years ago then narrowly missed with a trademark longshot. Kitchee thought they had doubled their lead after a lovely through ball from Jay Haddow found an offside Mingazow, who squared it to Obieta to score, but VAR overturned the decision. Bear held on to a powerful Lucas Silva header, and Everton went close before Obieta scored after another Kitchee attack. Kendy drove with the ball from deep and found Mingazow in a central area, who played in Obieta for his second goal of the season in first half stoppage time.

Illarramendi went close to adding a third with acrobatic effort, before Kendy set up Victor Camarasa to score his first goal for nearly three years, while Luizinho nearly pulled a goal back after a Kitchee defensive mixup. Substitute Adrian Revilla scored a long range effort to make it four, and then cleared one of the line, before Li Ngai-hoi scored a consolation header.

Fan feedback

The back four performed much better, and Kitchee looked more menacing in attack, as Everton and Mingazow could commit fully. Camarasa and Illarramendi were very good in midfield, while after ineffective displays last week Mingazow and Kendy were much improved. Marcos was solid at the back and scored, while also bringing the ball out from the back. The defence and Bear will be annoyed at sacrificing the clean sheet, but with Kitchee having two goals ruled out for offside and going close a few times it could have been even more of an offensive masterclass. There will be some concern that Kitchee may risk burning Mingazow and Everton out, with the veteran forwards both having played every minute so far. The young players being at the under 20s gave Calderon limited options, but given how comfortable the game was maybe they could have come off earlier. The substitutes helped Kitchee rest some tired legs, and there was a goalscoring cameo for Adrian, while Ari Lam and Juninho played well, the latter making a rapid recovery from his head injury last week.

What's next

We next take on Southern away, 4pm in Aberdeen on 12th September, before our ACL adventure begins the following Thursday against Gangwon at Mong Kok on the 17th. We'll be posting an ACL preview in the coming days previewing our three opponents. We will have our five Hong Kong under 20s representatives back, as Hong Kong could only pick up one point and one goal from the three game- scored by winger Cheung Yiu-hin, who started all three games. Chan Shing-chun (2 starts) and Li Siu-hin (2 sub appearances) also featured, with Yu Ching-wai and Liang Kui-chung unused. The senior Hong Kong side will be playing in the ASEAN Cup at Kai Tak, with group games against Laos on the 27th and Brunei on the 30th, with a potential final afterwards, and Kitchee had ten players called up to the preliminary squad with a first callup for Tuscany Shek, and Callum Beattie could also earn his first cap after administration issues and injury have denied him a cap so far.

Please follow us on social media to stay up to date with the latest Kitchee news. We are at over 650 followers on Instagram and are at over 400 on Facebook. Facebook Instagram

Photo credits SportsRoad

Match highlights

Written by Adam O'Domhnaill

Goalless draw up North as Kitchee falter in final third- North District 0 Kitchee 0

Summary

A hot day in Sheung Shui saw Kitchee held to a 0-0 draw for the first time in over two years. A very attacking Kitchee line up could not find a way through, as both defences made clearances off the line, albeit neither goal was threatened regularly. The second half was marred by a potentially serious injury to Juninho, but he has been released from hospital and is on the mend.

Line up

Kitchee made four changes, and tweaked the shape to resemble a 352 formation, with Kendy slightly more advanced than the other two central midfielders. Kendy came into the side alongside debutant Victor Camarasa, Jason Kam and youngster Chan Shing-chun. Riera and Kanda dropped out of the matchday squad, with Tan Chun-lok and Jordan Lam dropping to the bench. Asier Illarramendi returned to the bench. Four Kitchee youngsters were away in Qatar for Asian Cup qualifying with Hong Kong under 20s; Chan Shing-chun would join the squad afterwards.

Bear; Dudu, Jason (Haddow 70), Marcao; Mingazow (c), Shingchun (Lok 38), Kendy (Juninho 60 (Lung 79), Camarasa (Beattie 70), Everton; Adrian, Obieta (Illarramendi 60)

Unused subs: Tuscany, Jordan, Ari

Match events

Vinicius Soares went close early on as Dudu failed to deal with a long ball, before Kendy played in Mingazow, whose shot was easily saved. The dangerous Vinicius tried his luck from long range, with Bear just about dealing with it, and the Brazilian got himself free on the right, but Granada's shot from the resulting cross was cleared off the line by Marcos. In a first half of few clear cut chances, North District were the better side.

North District continued their impressive play, with Jahangir Khan's cross from the left evading everyone on both teams. Having brought Tan Chun-lok on in the first half for youngster Chan Shing-Chun, Calderon turned to the veterans Illarramendi and Juninho to try and seize the iniative. Shortly after his introduction Juninho played a lovely ball through to Everton, who saw his effort saved. With twenty minutes to go Calderon switched to a back four, moving Juninho into the 10 role. NDFC dealt with a threatening ball in but only cleared as far as Everton; his dinked ball in was almost headed home by Juninho, but he collided with the post in a gruesome injury which required stitches. His replacement Cheng Chin-lung saw his late effort cleared off the line by Andy Wong, while Carles Paez had North District's final big chance, heading goalwards from a corner, but Bear was equal to it.

Fan feedback

It was a bit of a disjointed performance on Saturday, with Kitchee dominating possession but being unable to make it count and having very few clear-cut chances. The passing and crossing in the final third was largely poor- if Calderon wants to continue with two out and out strikers then the wide players need to improve their crossing accuracy. Kitchee cannot have Everton and Mingazow as the sole wide players, as they no longer have the engines to also do their defensive duties. We saw Vinicius Soares getting into lots of space down either side as the wingbacks were far too high up. Juninho had a bright cameo before his injury, while his replacement Cheng Chin-lung also did well and had Kitchee's best chance of the match cleared off the line. Kitchee starting so many attackers left the bench options limited, although the plan B of switching to a back four brought some bright passages of play.

Debut watch

Victor Camarasa. The experienced midfield had some nice touches and gave Kitchee a bit of impetus with Illarramendi and Tan Chun-lok on the bench. He lasted seventy minutes in his first game for four months, and his first start for well over an hour. With the wingbacks positioned so high he had his fair share of defensive work to get through, and he went about this diligently. 

What's next

First home game of the season against EDFC at TKO. 6.30pm kick off on 6th September for our first home game of the season. Kitchee will continue to be without five youngsters away with the under 20s. Juninho may miss out depending on how his recovery goes, given he had seven stitches put in last week.

Please follow us on social media to stay up to date with the latest Kitchee news. We are at over 650 followers on Instagram and are at over 400 on Facebook. Facebook Instagram

Photo credits SportsRoad

Written by Adam O'Domhnaill

Debutants to the rescue as Kitchee battle to hard-fought opening day win- Rangers 2 Kitchee 3

Summary

Kitchee had their debutants to thank for an opening day win, as a brace from Everton helped seal victory against an improved Rangers side. Everton scored a freekick in the first half, but Kitchee could not add a second, and were stunned when Rangers scored two goals either side of the hour mark to take a shock lead. But Kitchee turned it around with Koldo Obieta scoring a penalty after being fouled, and Everton firing in a winner. Kitchee held on to start the season with three points, but leave Inigo Calderon with plenty to think about moving forward.

Line up

Calderon handed out four debutants for the season opener, with last season's player of the year Asier Illarramendi being rested after sustaining a minor injury. Dudu and Marcao started in the back three, with Everton and Koldo Obieta alongside Adrian in the front three. Tuscany and Yu Ching-wai were named on the bench after spending last season on loan in Spain.

Bear; Riera (Haddow 71), Dudu, Marcao; Mingazov, Kanda (Kendy 57), Lok (c) (Shingchun 71), Jordan (Beattie 57); Everton, Adrian (Juninho 83), Obieta

Unused subs: Tuscany, Lung, Jason, Siuhin, Ari, Cheung Yiu-hin, Yu Ching-wai

Match events

Kitchee failed to deal with a long ball forward and Rangers new signing Tiko put the ball in the net, but it was disallowed for offside. Everton opened his Kitchee account with an excellent freekick that left Yip rooted to the spot. Bear made a sharp save to keep out Zazei's header, and he punched away a few dangerous crosses to keep Kitchee ahead at half time.

Just after half time Yip denied Everton from doubling his account, before five minutes of madness left Kitchee stunned. Nathan Lourenco scored a stunning long range effort to equalise after a well-worked corner, and Marcao's missed header allowed Ibrahim to score from close range, although there were some suspicions of offside, and HKFA's budget still does not extend to having VAR at every game this season. Koldo Obieta was hauled down at a corner, and stepped up to score the resulting penalty, with Adrian having had enough of Yip's timewasting, earning himself a yellow card for pushing him over. Li Wing-ho hit the crossbar, before Everton finally scored his second goal. He played Obieta through, and although his cross was cleared, Everton hit in the rebound, before being denied a hat trick by another good save from Yip.

Fan feedback

A lot of Kitchee's build up through midfield was disjointed. At times the wingbacks were far too high, leaving the three centre backs under pressure with limited passing options. This drastically needs to be improved moving forward, but the return of Asier Illarramendi will help with this. Everton was fantastic as expected, becoming the first Kitchee player to score a brace on his debut since Juninho in 2023. Everton has now scored 98 HKPL goals, and going back to last season he has scored four braces in his last five HKPL games. Kitchee were given a much tougher task by Rangers than in previous years; Rangers had only scored one goal in their last six games, and had not scored two league goals against Kitchee since 2012. Their first goal was superb, and Bear had little chance, and the second goal may have been offside. But beyond this Kitchee still had to make a number of last-gasp interventions, and Rangers also hit the bar. The mistakes made in this game need to be eliminated, but a tough test to start the season helpfully helps in the long run with Kitchee avoiding complacency.

Debut watch

Everton scored two goals and was a constant threat. Koldo Obieta showed some nice linkup play and scored a penalty. Both were involved in positive linkup play. Dudu and Marcao struggled a bit in getting the ball forward, although the structure of the midfield meant their options were limited. Dudu made a couple of decisive blocks, and while Marcao could have done better with dealing with the ball in the build up to the second goal he was ok. Still a bit rusty but the same could be said for all players so it would be harsh to single out debutants.

What's next

North District away in Sheung Shui, Saturday 29th at 3pm. We may see a debut for Victor Camarasa, the former Spanish youth international central midfielder who counts Crystal Palace, Cardiff City and Real Betis amongst his former clubs.

Please follow us on social media to stay up to date with the latest Kitchee news. We are at over 650 followers on Instagram and are at over 400 on Facebook. Facebook Instagram

Photo credits: Footballgraphy 

Match highlights

Written by Adam O'Domhnaill

Summer review as league returns this week and Kitchee find out continental opponents

The Hong Kong Premier League is back, as Kitchee seek to defend their title and be competitive in the Asian Champions League 2. Here we'll summarise the ins and outs over the summer and what to look forward to, with Kitchee getting their season underway away at Rangers in Tsing Yi, 6.30pm on 22nd August.

Kitchee's first game in Thailand was against Prime Bangkok of the third tier. Kitchee were dominant, winning 4-0 thanks to first half goals for Everton and Cheng Chin-lung, and a brace for Koldo Obieta off the bench in the second half. This was the first game for Kitchee's four new signings, plus sixteen year old forward Sephrey Ma off the bench.

Kitchee then took on Ratchaburi of Thai League 1, who will compete in the Asian Champions League Elite this season, and reached the quarter finals of last season's ACL2. Kitchee conceded two goals in the first half to succumb to a 2-0 defeat, but were not overawed by a strong team.

Kitchee's final televised friendly saw them take on PT Prachuap, also of Thai League 1, who finished in the top half last season. After going behind, Adrian Revilla equalised before half time in a physical game that saw multiple bench-clearing arguments involving players and staff.

There were lots of positive signs, with Calderon being tactically flexible, often starting with a 3421 or 352 formation but also fielding a 433. The players were able to switch between the two in and out of possession, and the four new signings, two returning loanees and Sephrey Ma promoted from the academy all got regular minutes. 

In the Hong Kong Jockey Club Youth Summit, Kitchee's u18 side beat Manchester United's under 16s on penalties, with Ari Lam scoring early on to give Kitchee the lead. Despite conceding a late equaliser, Kitchee emerged victorious on penalties, with substitute goalkeeper Dylan Parisi Anzolin making two saves. In a monumental week for Hong Kong youth football, the Hong Kong under sixteen side defeated Manchester United on penalties too, with a number of Kitchee players in the squad.

New signings 

Marcos Santos 'Marcao'. The towering centre back stands at nearly two metres tall, and joins us after three years at Tai Po. He made over sixty appearances in green, scoring eight goals, and won the 24/25 HKPL, and the Senior Shield and FA Cup in 25/26, but unfortunately missed out on playing ACL2 football with Tai Po as he was sidelined for nine months with a serious knee injury. 

Everton. Not a lot that needs to be said, as he has played over two hundred and fifty games for five Hong Kong clubs, and scored nearly a hundred and fifty goals. At Lee Man he won the golden boot back in 22/23 (shared with Dejan and Mingazow), the HKPL in 24/25 and has won multiple cup competitions with Yuen Long, Eastern and Lee Man. Since making his Hong Kong debut after naturalising in 2023 he has contributed twelve goals and fifteen assists in twenty six games, and despite turning thirty five in May there is hopefully plenty left in the tank to take us to further glory, and compete in ACL2. Primarily a right winger, in preseason we also saw him deployed as a narrow right forward or a striker in a front two.

Dudu. Another naturalised Brazilian joins us from Lee Man. A two time league winner, Kitchee are his sixth HKPL club, playing nearly two hundred games in the city. An aerial threat from set pieces, he regularly chips in with goals wherever he has played, and brings another experienced player to our defensive line. Dudu has been a regular part of Hong Kong squads since becoming eligible in early 2024, scoring against Guam in the EAFF final. He once captained Neymar in the Santos academy.

Koldo Obieta. The Spanish striker joins us from Indonesian side Borneo FC Samarinda, where he scored nine in sixteen last season. The thirty two year old spent the bulk of his career in the Spanish leagues (with a short spell in Poland), before moving to Kerala Blasters in India in October 2025, and onto Borneo in January 2026. He will relieve some of the scoring pressure on Adrian, and give us another striking option for ACL2.

Departures 

Wang Zhenpeng. The veteran brought his legendary career to a close after nearly four hundred games, after joining the club in 2005. Kitchee's record appearance holder, this is unlikely to be broken anytime soon, as Cheng Chin-lung with just over a hundred and fifty games has the most appearances of the current squad. Won ten league titles and seventeen cups during his time at Kitchee.

Law Tsz-chun. The versatile academy graduate joined Kitchee aged eleven in 2008, and other than one season out on loan, he remained at Kitchee until this summer. He played a hundred and sixty six games (with five goals and sixteen assists), and was part of the leadership group, captaining regularly. He joins newly promoted Sha Tin. Sadly his final season was heavily disrupted by a broken collarbone sustained while playing for the U22s, and he last played in November. He won twelve trophies at Kitchee, including four league titles, and now joins newly promoted Sha Tin..

Matheus Dantas. The Brazilian centre back played forty six games in two seasons and helped us secure the league title last season. Added solidity in defence that had been lacking, and although his performances dropped off towards the end of 2025-26, he was still nominated for the team of the season. Did not miss a single game through injury.

Anson Wong Ho-chun. Joined in January from Qingdao Hainau. With only one start and a total of less than two hundred minutes, he scored three goals and assisted one, including scoring the goal which sealed our 2-0 win over Rangers and the league title. He moves to Southern District.

Martin Merquelanz. Joined in early February and left at the end of the season. Chipped in with two goals (including a stunning final day freekick) and an assist in his seven games. He returns to Spain with Real Union in the third tier.

Leandro Martinez. Left after a single season where his eleven goals and fourteen assists fired Kitchee to league glory. He also returns to Spain, with Recreativo Huelva in the fourth tier.

Seb Buddle. Retired at the age of twenty seven to take up a role as match analyst at the club. The right-sided player made thirty seven appearances (scoring four times) and was part of four league winning squads.

Matthew Slattery. The young striker graduated from the academy in 2023 and made nineteen appearances, winning the league in his final season, albeit only playing once. A talisman for the U22s, he scored twenty four in thirty three for them, winning the FA Cup twice. He moves on to Kowloon City, alongside Chen Ngo-hin who we have loaned there for the season.

Tun Thurain. Left after six months and only playing ninety two minutes over two games. Featured much more prominently for the U22s, scoring four in nine games, including the second goal in the victorious FA Cup final. He joins Yadanarbon FC in the top tier in his homeland of Myanmar. 

This season

Kitchee found out their opponents for the Asian Champions League 2 on Tuesday. We will take on Gangwon FC of Korea, Kuching City of Malaysia and Phnom Penh Crown of Cambodia. We'll do a more in depth preview and analysis of our opponents once the schedule of games is out.

Kitchee have only conceded one goal in their last six games against Rangers, and have not lost to Saturday's opponents since the Sapling Cup final in 2024. See you at Tsing Yi!

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

Photo credits: Kitchee

Written by Adam O'Domhnaill