Kwoon Chung Southern and BC Rangers will gather in Aberdeen Sports Ground on Saturday afternoon for the opening BOC Life Hong Kong Premier League fixture of this weekend’s top flight football action. The match is set to kick-off at 15:00.

Kwoon Chung Southern currently sits third in the premier league standing and is trying to keep up to pace with frontrunners Lee Man and Kitchee. The Hong Kong Island side has seemingly got off to a rough start in 2023 and has yet to open its winning account, after dropping its first two matches in all competitions. Currently leading the side with nine goals from all competitions, forward Stefan Pereira has yet to score in the calendar year and will be high motivated to put one past BC Rangers.

BC Rangers seems to be enjoying 2023 so far, as the young side has racked up a modest two-game winning streak since the turn of the calendar year. Energetic and full of spirits, BC Rangers will aim to upset Kwoon Chung Southern on the weekend and has the ability to do just that. Japanese import Yumemi Kanda has been an instant hit since signing for BC Rangers earlier in the month, as the attacking midfielder has bagged four goals from two appearances so far and remains a major threat in the BC Rangers lineup.

Later on the same day, RCFC will host Kitchee in Tsing Yi Sports Ground for the second BOC Life Hong Kong Premier League battle of the day. The match will start at 18:00.

At the time of writing, RCFC sits seventh in the premier league table and is looking to move up the standings. The young side has faced Kitchee twice so far this season in all competitions and has come out on the wrong side of the score line on both occasions, conceding ten goals and scoring only once. January pickups Pablo Lardies and Philip Chan seem to have strengthen the RCFC lineup and it remains to be seen whether the RCFC troops can make it third time lucky going up against Kitchee.

Kitchee is fresh off a Senior Shield triumph and spirits in the Shek Mun camp should be extremely high. The premier league powerhouse battled hard with Eastern in the Senior Shield finale and edged its nemesis through penalty shootout, snatching the first silverware of the domestic football season. While Kitchee troops might have exerted lots of energy in the process, the Shek Mun side remains extremely deep in terms of squad depth and should have what it takes to be ready for RCFC.

On Sunday afternoon, Sham Shui Po is due to face Lee Man at home in Sham Shui Po Sports Ground for the first of three BOC Life Hong Kong Premier League fixtures of the day. The match will kick-off at 15:00.

With only a win from its first eight premier league fixtures of the season, Sham Shui Po resides on the seventh spot in the league standing, only three points above basement side HK U23. Battling for pride, Sham Shui Po will be eager to put some distance between itself and HK U23, yet securing points from table-topping Lee Man on Sunday afternoon will be a very challenging task. However, Sham Shui Po troops should have a bounce in their steps, as the district side is riding on a two-game unbeaten run, coming off a draw against Lee Man in the Sapling Cup and a league win against HK U23. Midseason signing Sim Woonsub has injected experience, ability and leadership qualities to the Sham Shui Po lineup and the Korean could be counted on to lead the team once again.

Lee Man is neck-and-neck with Kitchee in the premier league summit and can ill-afford any slip ups. A trip to Sham Shui Po certainly looks like a favorable matchup, yet rest assured, the premier league leader will be taking its opponent very seriously, especially since Lee Man was held to a goalless draw by Sham Shui Po in the Sapling Cup earlier in the calendar year. At the same time, Lee Man troops should be out to prove that the draw against Sham Shui Po was merely an off day, especially given that Lee Man has beaten Sham Shui Po twice already so far this season, both identical 5:0 wins. If Lee Man can play up to its potential on match day, there should be little stopping of the premier league leader.

Later on the same day, HKFC will entertain Eastern in HK Football Club Ground for the second BOC Life Hong Kong Premier League fixture of the day. Starting time for the battle is set for 16:30.

HKFC has got off to a rather rough start in 2023, as the Hong Kong Island side is still looking for its first victory of the calendar year, after dropping successive defeats against Eastern and Kitchee in the FA Cup and the premier league respectively. More concerning though, HKFC has been shutout on both occasions, conceding eight goals in the process while scoring none. In order to add to its stagnated offense, HKFC has brought in former Sham Shui Po striker Thiago Da Silva recently, hoping to inject some much-needed life into its offense. It remains to be seen whether Da Silva can deliver in HKFC colors.

Eastern currently occupies the fourth spot in the premier league standing and a win on Sunday afternoon can potentially lift the side over Kwoon Chung Southern in the table. Despite coming off a bitter Senior Shield penalty shootout loss to archrival Kitchee in the Senior Shield final, Eastern should have too much quality for HKFC to handle, yet it remains to be seen whether Eastern players can rebound from the Senior Shield disappointment in time, refocus on the task on hand and be ready for the always motivated HKFC.

Elsewhere on Sunday afternoon, HK U23 will host Wofoo Tai Po in Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground for the last remaining BOC Life Hong Kong Premier League clash of the weekend. The match is due to start at 18:00.

After eight rounds of premier league fixtures, HK U23 is still looking for its first league victory of the season. The young side currently sits firmly at the basement of the premier league table and is looking for ways to move up. With thirty-six goals conceded and only two goals scored so far in the premier league circuit, HK U23 has been generally outplayed in its matches, yet there seems to be signs of improvements, as the team has narrowly lost its two fixtures in 2023. Is it possible that HK U23 can finally open its premier league winning account this season by defeating Wofoo Tai Po in front of its home supporters?

Wofoo Tai Po will be heading to Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground on successive weekends, this time facing HK U23. The last time when Wofoo Tai Po ventured to the very same venue, the New Territories side fell short to Lee Man 0:2 and will be working exceptionally hard to avoid the same outcome. Interestingly, Sunday’s battle will be the first time that Wofoo Tai Po has come up against HK U23 this season, yet with experienced veterans such as Paulo Simionato and Gabriel Cividini on both ends of the pitch, as well as in-from goalkeeper Tse Ka-wing backstopping the team, Wofoo Tai Po should be fancying its chances for maximum points from its latest trip to Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground.