Kitchee edged BC Rangers 3:2 and nailed down Sapli

Fighting for the top spot in Sapling Cup Group B, Kitchee edged BC Rangers in the final Group B fixture on Sunday afternoon by 3:2, overtaking group rival Hong Kong Pegasus in the process and advancing to the semi-final as the group winner. Kitchee stamped its authority in the game early and quickly established a two-goal lead within the opening fifteen minutes, courtesy to a Jared Lum double. Prospect Sebastian Buddle also came close to getting his name on the scoresheet, as the youngster fired from the right-wing but saw his shot hitting the woodwork and staying out of the net. While Lau Chi-lok managed to pull one back for BC Rangers afterwards, Krisztian Vadocz’s goal late in the first half ensured Kitchee returned to the dressing room for the half-time break with a two-goal lead. After the interval, BC Rangers tried to mount a comeback, as Sasaki Shu cut into Kitchee’s lead with a penalty goal. Shortly afterwards, Marko Krasic launched a rocket shot towards the Kitchee net but was turned away by a full-stretched sprawling save by Kitchee custodian Guo Jianqiao. Both sides generated scoring chances late in the game but somehow failed to add to the score, as Kitchee held on to the lead and eventually secured a 3:2 victory over BC Rangers. Two-goal hero Jared Lum admitted after the game that Kitchee’s performance on the day was far from satisfying. “We have a lot of talented players in our squad and some of them have not played in a while, therefore the coaches really need to hand these players playing time in order to ensure they stay in good form,” Lum explained. “Maybe it is true that we did not perform up to our usual high standards but the most important thing is to pick up all three points and to make it to the Sapling Cup semi-final as the group winner.” Sebastian Buddle, who started the game for Kitchee and even hit the woodwork in the first half, was disappointed to leave the game at half time due to injury. “While I was playing at the unfamiliar right-back position to start the game, yet I saw the team generated scoring chances after scoring chances in both halves and I thought the team actually played quite well today,” offered the eighteen years-old. “I picked up a knock on my knee in the first half when I took a challenge from an opposing player, which eventually forced me out of the game in the second half. To leave the game in such a manner was actually quite disappointing.”