League-leading Kitchee worked hard and snatched we

Table-topping Kitchee travelled to Tai Po on Saturday afternoon to face premier league rival Wofoo Tai Po for a league fixture. The Blues’ high-octane offense was on full display and defeated the home side by 1:4, setting itself up nicely for next week’s AFC Champions League group battle against Kashiwa Reysol in Japan. Kitchee got off to a great start and opened the score on the fifth minute, as Lucas Da Silva connected with a Daniel Cancela cross and directed the ball home from point-blank. The visitors kept threatening the Wofoo Tai Po goal afterwards but failed to find the back of the net again. Kitchee ended up with a one-goal lead heading into half time. Kitchee doubled its lead midway into the second half, as Fernando Pedreira made a great run down the left side and sent the ball towards the Wofoo Tai Po goal-mouth. Alessandro Leonardo was in a great position and fired the ball home, making it a two-goal lead for Kitchee. Afterwards, an identical move saw Paulo Carreiro delivering the ball towards the Wofoo Tai Po box. Leonardo was not going to let the opportunity slip and knocked the ball home. Late in the game, Wofoo Tai Po’s Dhiego Martins got his side on the scoreboard with a well-taken strike, while Fernando Recio’s header in stoppage time restored Kitchee’s three-goal lead and ensured the Blues came out on top through a 1:4 victory. Striker Alessandro Leonardo, who netted a double in the game, insisted the 1:4 score did not reflect the game-action but credited his teammates for digging deep and coming up with a well-earned victory. “We knew this was going to be a tough game right from the very first whistle and the score line failed to truly reflect what happened during the game. Thankfully, we all pulled together and beat the opponent 1:4,” commented the Kitchee hotshot. “We are now in the driver’s seat regarding the premier league title-chase, but we still need to fight hard in the remainder of the season in order to nail down the championship trophy as early as possible.” Defender Kim Dong Jin acknowledged the Blues played well throughout the game and believed the premier league title would be Kitchee’s to lose. “We were playing Wofoo Tai Po away and despite suffering certain level of pressure during the match, the team performed very well as a whole and eventually defeated the opponent to claim yet another three points,” Kim said after the full-time whistle. “From a personal perspective, countryman Kim Bong Jin and I maintained solid communication throughout the game, making this victory that much special.”