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Paul McNamara

Edgar Cardoso said defeat by leaders Tai Po on Sunday would end his Kitchee team’s title hopes, as the coach conceded he “could not answer” how long he would retain the support of owner Ken Ng Kin.
Premier League champions for three successive years before Lee Man knocked them off their perch last season, Kitchee are languishing in fourth place, 12 points behind Tai Po.
They have played two fewer games than the table-toppers, but their Portuguese boss acknowledged anything bar victory at the inhospitable Tai Po Sports Ground would leave his team “way too far behind”.
“It is vital that we win; we are already too many points from the top,” said Cardoso, whose team face second-placed Eastern next week.

“If we beat Tai Po, the championship would be completely open for us. Our target is six points from the next two weekends.”
Kitchee have scored a league-high 29 goals, and boast the division’s second-best defensive record, behind Eastern’s. Yet they have drawn too many matches, winning only four out of 10, and failed to beat any of Lee Man, Eastern or Tai Po. The leaders inflicted their only defeat, in October.
Across three league matches against that trio of fellow heavyweights, Kitchee have scored only twice. They spurned a number of chances in last Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Eastern.
“We need to create six or seven clear openings to score, while our opponents need half an opportunity to score against us,” Cardoso said.
“We are producing better football than the results show. I truly believe in the work we are doing with the players, then it is the decision of the club [to keep him in charge].
“It would be easier to fix the problem with the players from last season, but we are working from scratch with a new team.”
Cardoso said he “definitely needs more” from striker Welthon, the Brazilian summer signing whose six league goals have all come against lower-ranked teams. “He has a good attitude … sometimes he’s too isolated, but sometimes he tries to do everything himself,” Cardoso said.
Ruslan Mingazov, the attacker who was Hong Kong’s player of the season two years ago, will be missing for six to 10 weeks after breaking three ribs against Eastern.
Cardoso is being patient over defender Jay Haddow’s recovery from a sports hernia. The 20-year-old is also in the process of acquiring a Hong Kong passport.
Hong Kong midfielder Tan Chun-lok is at least six weeks from returning after a broken shin, while striker Juninho aggravated his hamstring problem in a friendly against Singapore team Lion City Sailors this month.

Cardoso opted not to recruit in the winter transfer window, which closes on Sunday, and said: “I would not change this group. If everyone can give five per cent more, without complaining and talking about being unlucky, the stars will align.”
However, they face the disadvantage of playing away to Tai Po for a second time in the nine-team league’s uneven fixture list. Tai Po also host Eastern and third-placed Lee Man twice each.
“We would have preferred a fairer draw,” Cardoso said. “It’s a stadium that always brings extra for them.”
The Kitchee and North District under-22 teams, meanwhile, will contest Kai Tak Stadium’s first football match, on February 4.


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The Football Association of Hong Kong, China

Kitchee boss says Tai Po clash is must-win, ‘cannot answer’ whether owner will keep faith

Edgar Cardoso (right) with midfielder Aaron Rey at Mong Kok Stadium. Photo: Kitchee SC

Juninho battles with Wu Chun-ming in Kitchee’s Senior Shield semi-final loss to Lee Man. Photo: Nora Tam

Sherzod Temirov aims an overhead kick in Kitchee’s 1-1 draw with Eastern last week. Photo: Nora Tam

Hong Kong footballer in UK BN(O) visa wrangle, ‘bowing down to reality’ as career stalls

Ellison Tsang Yi-hang (centre) has ‘bowed down to the reality’ that his hugely promising career would be impeded over visa issues. Photo: Provided by interviewee

Ellison Tsang Yi-hang (No 16) takes issue with Guangdong players taunting Hong Kong fans. Photo: Elson Li

Ellison Tsang Yi-hang in action during Hong Kong’s clash with Guangdong in the Guangdond-Hong Kong Cup second leg. Photo: Provided by the interviewee

Mainland Chinese coach, player rue ‘disrespect’ shown to Hong Kong in fiery football clash

Players clash during the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup second leg on Wednesday. Photo: Elson Li

Raphael Merkies is tackled by Guangdong’s Hu Ruibao during the full-blooded match. Photo: Elson Li

Sport

Football

Hong Kong

Edgar Cardoso poised for one of biggest weeks of Kitchee reign, as side go to pacesetters Tai Po ‘already too many points from the top’


Edgar Cardoso poised for one of biggest weeks of Kitchee reign, as side go to pacesetters Tai Po ‘already too many points from the top’.


Kitchee SC