Day of reckoning as Kitchee face must-win scenario

It's win or bust for Kitchee as they bid to keep their slim title hopes alive when they take on NTR WF Tai Po in the Coolpoint Ventilation First Division at Mong Kok Stadium today.

With leaders South China taking all three points by defeating Happy Valley 3-2 on Friday, Kitchee are now eight points behind the Caroliners with one match in hand.

'We must win all our four remaining matches and hope South China drop points in the league run-in,' said Ken Ng Kin, president of Kitchee. 'This is going to be a tough battle, but we have to give it a go.'

If Kitchee manage to see off Tai Po, it will set up a mouth-watering clash with South China next weekend. In today's other double-header strugglers Mutual meet TSW Pegasus.

Mutual are six points behind fellow strugglers TM Progoal with one match in hand after the latter lost to Fourway 1-0 yesterday. A defeat for Mutual will almost certainly see them go down to the Second Division next season with bottom team Xiangxue Eisiti. Shenzhen-based Eisiti look as if they are goners after they were thrashed by Citizen 6-1 yesterday.

Progoal director Yam Wai-hung, meanwhile, said his team played well despite losing to Fourway. 'We made one mistake in defence and that mistake cost us the match,' said Yam. 'But I am still happy with my boys as they battled hard throughout the match.'

Yam, however, made no comment on whether he had been questioned by the ICAC on earlier match-fixing allegations, but said he would be happy to attend the Hong Kong Football Association's disciplinary committee meeting on Monday.

Meanwhile, Happy Valley will lodge a complaint to the Football Association on Ching Oi-cho - the referee in charge of Friday night's game against South China.

They accused Ching of failing to send off Caroliners defender Poon Yiu-cheuk after Poon brought down Valley striker Godfred Karikari inside the penalty box in the 87th minute. Valley were awarded a penalty for Poon's foul, but the referee did not book Poon who was yellow-carded seven minutes earlier.

Moment of truth

Only a victory will do for Kitchee against Tai Po today

The number of points they trail leaders and champions South China by is: 8