Kitchee began Year 2023 with a Sapling Cup group match on 2 Jan (Mon) at the Mong Kok Stadium facing RCFC. Oliver Gerbig scored his first and second goal in professional level to lead Kitchee to a 4:0 victory.
Ruslan Mingazov and Bekzhan Sagynbaev were the only foreign players featured for Kitchee in the match. While largely keeping possession, Kitchee couldn't find the net earlier on as both Sohgo Ichikawa and Tsang Yi Hang Ellison's attempts inside the box were collected by the keeper. The team finally broke the deadlock in the 45th minute as Ichikawa picked up the short corner from Cheng Chin Lung and crossed the ball into the box, where Sagynbaev's dummy move allowed Gerbig to score his first goal in professional level before half time.
Kitchee doubled the lead in the 64th minute as Cheng Chin Lung's cross forced a defensive error and an own goal. Tsang Chun Hin and Fernando's pressing in the 81st minute allowed the latter to pass the ball to an unmarked Alex Akande to score the third goal for Kitchee. Yuen Chun Him's corner in the 87th minute found Akande, whose header hit the woodwork and fell to Gerbig to score his brace with a right-foot half volley. Gerbig was close to finishing a hat-trick but his header from a corner hit the post and went wide as Kitchee finished the match 4:0.