RedMR HK First Division League – Kitchee 3:1 I-Sky Yuen Long

Kitchee took on I-Sky Yuen Long in Mongkok Stadium late Saturday afternoon. The home side weathered the early storm and came from behind to hand I-Sky Yuen Long a heart-breaking 3:1 loss. The New Territories side got off to a flying start on the 5th minute when Yan Wai-hong’s cross from the left-flank was fired into the Kitchee net by Kitchee player Cheung Kin-fung. It was a cruel own goal by Cheung as I-Sky Yuen Long took an early lead. I-Sky Yuen Long almost went two-goals in front on the 6th minute when Gustavo Da Silva’s delivered a great ball into the Kitchee box. Wellingsson De Souza one-timed his shot from close-range but fired the ball high above the Kitchee goal. Kitchee tried to get back into the game and nearly did so on the 8th minute when Diego Cascon’s cross from the left side was headed towards goal by Alexander Akande at the far post. Unfortunately, Akande’s tight-angle header ended up wide off the I-Sky Yuen Long goal. On the 23rd minute, Wellingsson De Souza had a great chance to double the lead for I-Sky Yuen Long but blasted his free-kick wide off the Kitchee goal. Kitchee almost equalized on the 39th minute when the lively Alexander Akande left a soft-pass for Matthew Lam. The Kitchee midfielder stepped up and blasted a rocket that was nicely turned away by I-Sky Yuen Long keeper Pang Tsz-kin. Deep in the first half injury time, Kitchee’s Xu Deshuai whipped in a cross that was headed down by Juan Belencoso at the far post. Diego Cascon pounced on the loose ball but his shot ended up hitting the side netting. I-Sky Yuen Long wasted two successive chances around the 52nd minute mark when Wellingsson De Douza failed to find the Kitchee goal with his header, while Rian Marques could not capitalize on a Kitchee defensive mistake with his tame and power-challenged lob. Kitchee dodged two bullets on both occasions. Kitchee tried hard for the equalizer and was nearly rewarded on the 54th minute, when Alexander Akane’s thunder-bolt forced out a wonderful flying save by I-Sky Yuen Long keeper Pang Tsz-kin. The home side finally tied the game on the 62nd minute when Diego Cascon picked out Alexander Akande with a lovely diagonal pass. Akande motored deep into the I-Sky Yuen Long box before blasting a tight-angle shot past keeper Pang Tsz-kin. The score was now 1:1. Kitchee took the lead on the 68th minute when Chan Man-fai dropped a soft-pass for Diego Cascon. The Spanish attacker latched on the ball and smashed a laser-bean that zapped into the I-Sky Yuen Long goal. It was a great strike by the Kitchee player and Kitchee was now in front 2:1. I-Sky Yuen Long almost found the equalizer on the 74th minute when Rian Marques picked out Yuen Lap-cheung with a nice through ball. Unfortunately, Yuen could not hit the Kitchee goal with his running shot. Jorge Tarres added his name to the scoresheet late in the game, making it a 3:1 lead for Kitchee. The score stood towards the final whistle as Kitchee came from behind and defeated I-Sky Yuen Long in a 3:1 victory.