Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Hong Kong: A Sandro hat-trick and Krisztián Vadócz’s second half header helped Kitchee beat Eastern SC 4-1 to claim the Hong Kong Premier League title on Saturday as the country’s top-flight came to a thrilling conclusion.
The victory lifted Kitchee above Eastern and into pole position as head coach Chu Chi-kwong’s charges made amends for their second-place finish last season in dramatic fashion at a sold-out Mongkok Stadium.
Trailing Eastern by a single point heading into the showdown, Kitchee recovered from Sandro’s early penalty miss to take an eighth minute lead, the Brazilian striker atoning for his error by heading home to hand his side the advantage.
Sandro then doubled his and Kitchee’s tally with a fine finish from inside the penalty area, as the 2015 AFC Cup quarter-finalists went in at half-time two goals to the good.
Kitchee duly extended their advantage two minutes after the restart courtesy of a neat Vadócz header from a corner, before Michel Lugo found the net from distance to give Eastern a brief glimmer of hope in the 54th minute.
Any doubts Kitchee may have head were, however, to be dispelled on 77 minutes when Sandro turned the ball home from close range to register his 21st goal in 20 league games and effectively end the game as a contest.
Having already bagged the Senior Shield in January, Kitchee now have a chance to claim a domestic treble when they face South China in next weekend’s FA Cup final.
Photo: Lagardère Sports