Caroliners flatter to deceive in easy win
South China beat Wofoo Tai Po 3-0 in the BMA First Division, but team convenor Steven Lo Kit-sing was left largely unimpressed by his team's performance.
'Give us one more month, by which time our new foreign players will have arrived, and the situation will change,' said Lo.
'Some of our players did not deliver, and that's why we had to wait until so late before we could open the scoring.'
Despite having most of the possession, the Caroliners had to wait until the 74th minute for defender Joel Bertoti Padilha to break the deadlock after the Brazilian took a goalmouth melee opportunity to score on a cold evening at Hong Kong Stadium.
Midfielder Xu Deshuai then added to the tally before striker Chan Siu-ki sealed victory in stoppage time, netting his second goal of the season after scoring against Sham Shui Po in their previous match.
'It did worry me as our strike force was too weak to find the net, and it was only when we made substitutions in the second half that it started to change,' Lo said.
'But our last two goals were good quality goals - simple and neat.'
Chan was delighted with his performance, having scored in consecutive matches. 'The goal against Sham Shui Po lifted the monkey off my back,' said the striker, who was once the darling of local soccer fans after steering Hong Kong to a gold medal at the 2009 East Asian Games.
'We kept trying throughout the match, working hard, battlling hard and it pays off.'
South China remain in third place in the table on 13 points, but are four points behind leaders Sunray Cave Sun Hei.
At Tuen Mun Tang Shiu Kin Sports Ground, Tuen Mun earned a 1-1 draw against Biu Chun Rangers. Sandro put the visitors ahead in the 38th minute, but his effort was cancelled out by Makhosonke Bhengu early in the second half.
