Kitchee claimed the title of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Women's Football League (1st League) Championship Group with a convincing 2-0 victory over Chelsea FC Soccer School (Hong Kong) in the final showdown held at Kowloon Bay Park on Sunday (June 18).
The match began with both teams playing cautiously, with neither side creating scoring chances in the early stages. Kitchee had the first shot on target on the 4th minute, but Lau Yui Ching’s attempt from distance missed the target. However, Kitchee gradually gained control of the game and started putting pressure on Chelsea FC Soccer School (Hong Kong). On the 10th minute, they broke the deadlock with a clinical finish from Tsang Ho Yan Letti. She pounced on a defensive header mistake by the opponent, broke into the penalty area, and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper with a calmly shot, giving Kitchee a crucial 1-0 lead.
It was Kitchee’s turn again on the 15th minutes of the game. Cheung Wai Ki picked up a long pass from her teammate on the right flank and pulled the trigger at the edge of the box, but she couldn’t generate enough power on her shot and was easily caught by the goalkeeper.
Kitchee had a golden chance to extend their lead two minutes later when Cheung Wai Ki made a lovely pass to Tsang Ho Yan Letti, who was unmarked in the penalty area,but her effort was denied by the crossbar. Chelsea FC Soccer School (Hong Kong) struggled in the first half, only managing to create their first threatening attack after 30 minutes. They had a well-organized play on the left side and created a chance for Leung Hong Kiu Anke on the edge of the penalty area, but her shot lacked power and was easily caught by the goalkeeper. Kitchee led the first half 1-0.
Chelsea FC Soccer School (Hong Kong) struggled to break through Kitchee's solid defense in the second half. Meanwhile, Kitchee posed a constant threat on the counterattack. On the 70th minute, Chung Pui Ki's free-kick attempt from long-range was denied by the woodwork, and later Simons Jianna Kate E.'s shot from the left narrowly missed the target after she had shook off two defenders.
Chelsea FC Soccer School (Hong Kong) made a desperate attempt to come back, but they failed to convert rare chances into a goal. On the 77th minute, Wu Choi Yiu delivered a right-wing cross to Simons Jianna Kate E, but the latter's effort missed the target. On the 78th minute, Cheung Tsz Ching collected the loose ball and fired a shot from outside the box, but it failed to hit the mark. On the 84th minute, Simons Jianna Kate E. connected with a left cross from So Hoi Lam and finished it home in close-range, scoring a vital goal for her team. The 2:0 score stood all the way towards the final whistle, as Kitchee defeated Chelsea FC Soccer School (Hong Kong) and claimed all three points, crowning them as the league champions of the season.