Buler Rangers and First Division newcomers Citizen yesterday marched into the League Cup semi-finals as they finished the top two teams in their group, knocking out third-placed South China and Guangdong-based Sunray Cave.
Yet Rangers' dramatic 3-1 victory over South China, which helped them finish top in the group and set up a semi-finals encounter with holders Sun Hei, was overshadowed by infighting between players and the club's management.
After the game, two-goal hero Eder Ferreira and his strike partner Roger Batoum were seen arguing intensely with team manager Philip Lee Fai-lap as soon as the full-time whistle was blown.
'Before the match they both had three goals [in the competition] and were both eyeing the $5,000 top-scorer award,' Lee said. 'During the first half they were obviously playing for themselves and the coaches weren't happy about that.
'They told them if this continued we would take one of them off.'
Talented defender Chan Wai-ho returned from a 10-game suspension following a mass brawl with mainland team Nancheng last season to give Rangers a 2-1 lead in the 30th minute with an unstoppable half-volley from the edge of the box. This came eight minutes after Eder had equalised for Rangers, cancelling out South China veteran Au Wai-lun's early opener.
