PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE RACE COULD BE SETTLED ON SUNDAY AFTER KITCHEE STOP ROT TO PROLONG LEE MAN’S WAIT
- Kitchee get a win at last after torrid run that added to the uncertainty surrounding their coach
- Lee Man must still earn a point from their match away to Sham Shui Po to be crowned champions - or can try again against Kitchee on final day
Kim Dong-jin, the under-fire interim Kitchee head coach, paid tribute to his players' "character and mentality" following a 3-0 victory over Southern that kept alive the Hong Kong Premier League title race.
Kitchee's season had imploded over a harrowing first half of May, with three successive defeats in three competitions, while Kim was relegated to a back-seat role for cup losses against Eastern and BC Rangers in the past week.
And the South Korean again adopted a low touchline profile on Saturday, as assistant manager Edgar Cardoso demonstratively coached the reigning champions.
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Kim refused to comment on his future after Kitchee stopped the rot, with Fernando, Charlie Scott and Cleiton Velasques all on target against a compliant Southern.
The victory means Lee Man must earn at least one point at Sham Shui Po on Sunday to wrap up the title. Defeat for the leaders would set up a last-day title shoot-out with Kitchee next Sunday.
Kitchee strengthened their grip on second position, at least, with Tai Po surprisingly held 1-1 at RCFC to slip two points behind Kim's team in third.
"It was a very difficult moment after the disappointment of the past three games," Kim said.
"We want to keep second place, and we don't know what will happen with Lee Man [on Sunday], so we need to fight until the end. The players showed that we are strong."
In separate episodes at Aberdeen Sports Ground, defender Andy Russell and the fiery Fernando remonstrated with Cardoso because of an apparent lack of clarity in instructions.
Kitchee regained some of their ruthlessness, however, controlling the game from the moment Fernando turned home Shinichi Chan's low cross for a third-minute lead.
Wang Zhenpeng, their goalkeeper, was scarcely troubled, with Southern bereft of ideas and quality in the final third. When Wang was beaten, after 10 minutes, Stefan Pereira had run offside before swatting a finish into the bottom corner.
Jakob Jantscher was perhaps fortunate to escape a second yellow card for a careless 39th-minute challenge on Shu Sasaki. Referee Yu Kin-fung appeared poised to reach into his top pocket until realising the identity of the culprit.
Scott put the result beyond doubt with a fine 20-yard strike inside Ng Wai-him's left post after 69 minutes. Within 60 seconds it was three. Velasques met Jantscher's lofted delivery with a diving header beyond Ng.
Southern escaped further damage as Juninho hit a post, Ng saved athletically from Sherzod Temirov and an aghast Fernando was denied a goal direct from a corner after Yu spotted a foul.
"I was pleased with every player's effort, attitude, character and mentality," Kim said. "We needed to bounce back, to play our way, and win."
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This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.
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2024-05-18T15:31:41Z dg43tfdfdgfd
