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.

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Written by Adam O'Domhnaill