Kitchee held by Rangers
Leaders Kitchee were held to a 1-1 draw by Rangers in the Coolpoint Ventilation First Division League at Mong Kok Stadium last night, leaving them three points clear.
Second-placed South China have a game in hand and can go top if they beat Xiangxue Sun Hei tomorrow.
In the first of the night's double-header, WoFoo Tai Po and fellow strugglers Citizen drew 1-1. Chung Kin-keung put Tai Po ahead in the 19th minute. Jorge Rodrigues equalised eight minutes later.
Kitchee welcomed marksman Keith Gumbs back back from suspension but failed to reproduce the form which earned them the League Cup title last weekend.
Rangers dominated the opening stages with Godfred Karikari hitting the post in the eighth minute, but they did not have to wait long before going ahead when Ghislain Bell Bell struck from long distance in the 23rd minute.
Rangers were reduced to 10 men on the half-hour after keeper Wei Zhao was sent off for bringing down Gumbs inside the box. Reserve goalie Xiao Guoji's first act was to stop Anderson da Silva's penalty, but he was powerless to prevent Da Silva netting the rebound.
Ten-man Rangers were a constant threat on the break in the second half, and had it not been some acrobatic saves from Kitchee goalkeeper Wang Zhenpeng, Rangers could have won.
Kitchee boss Ken Ng Kin said: 'The absence of the injured Wilfed Bamnjo in midfield cost us dearly.'
