A Cheung Sai-ho 30-metre piledriver gave Happy Valley a precious 1-0 win over rivals South China in the Hong Kong First Division championship playoff last night, leaving the Caroliners in serious danger of finishing the season empty-handed.
Scottish striker Paul Ritchie pulled the ball back for the Happy Valley skipper and midfielder to fire home a low shot that whistled past South China goalkeeper Chung Ho-yin before just 1,288 spectators at Hong Kong Stadium.
The result left first phase champions Happy Valley in second spot on 18.5 points - 2.5 points ahead of second-placed Sun Hei while South China remain rooted at the bottom of the four-team table on 15 points - and their prospects of finishing the season with a trophy looking increasingly bleak.
South China team director Peter Leung said: 'We didn't play all that well and Cheung Sai-ho scored a world class goal which nobody could have stopped.
'We have a lot of catching up to do. We still can get something back this season, but it looks increasingly difficult.'
South China won last season's league and Senior Challenge Shield, but Cheung's strike just one minute into the second half has left the Caroliners with much to do if they want to salvage something from their season.
Cheung was happy to have made a major contribution to an otherwise scrappy game.