Sun Hei predictably moved to the top of the First Division table by beating South China 1-0 at Mongkok Stadium yesterday, but they were overshadowed by newcomers Citizen, who claimed second spot by wining a madcap encounter against Rangers.
The hors d'oeuvre proved tastier than the main course as yet another healthy crowd - officially 2,074 - saw a seven-goal comic-thriller, settled 4-3 in Citizen's favour.
Recovering from conceding their habitual early goal, Citizen got the usual two-goal display from Stephen Ambassa as they took a 3-1 half-time lead, had Ghanaian midfielder Yaw Anane harshly dismissed for a second yellow card - another disturbingly frequent occurrence for the feisty Second Division champions - lost Ambassa with a dislocated shoulder, had captain Li Ying-wai sent off from the bench, and striker Ma Shuai ordered off in added time.
Fortunately Ma departed having grabbed the winner, his second of the game, in the 86th minute. Having escaped what should have been a second yellow card seconds before his vital goal for what was clearly a deliberate handball, Ma profited from ill-disciplined defending. Two clearances across the face of goal (from Lo Kwan-yee and Jose Ricardo Rambo) wasn't just asking for trouble, it was akin to ringing trouble up and inviting it around for ice cream and jelly.
Citizen coach Simon Chan Kong-hing said: 'That was one of the best matches we've played. Of the four games this was the best.' This one was not short of controversy, either. Despite three of the four match officials having the hallowed Fifa status, they somehow conjured up a complete farce in the second half when skipper Li Ying-wai, having been substituted while having treatment for an injury, was allowed back on the pitch moments later by the fourth official.
It took five minutes for the match to resume and far longer to resolve. Li, who had been booked in the first half, and was shown a second yellow card when he was finally removed from the field of play, was still unsure afterwards as to whether he had been shown red.