Hong Kong Premier League: Eastern, Kitchee and R&F can lift title on final day of 2019-20 season
- Coronavirus-disrupted season concludes on Sunday more than a year after kicking off with AFC Champions League and AFC Cup places up for grabs
- Eastern can complete a domestic treble with a win over title rivals R&F but Kitchee hope to spoil the party
The coronavirus-disrupted 2019-20 Hong Kong Premier League season finally concludes on Sunday more than a year after it started with three of the six remaining teams still capable of lifting the title.
Two of the top three – leaders Eastern and third-placed Guangzhou-based R&F – play one another at Hong Kong Stadium, while second-placed Kitchee take on bottom side Happy Valley at Mong Kok Stadium. The lead has switched from R&F to Kitchee to Eastern in the past two weeks.
All three clubs could still win the league on a dramatic final day that has shadows of the English Premier League 2011-12 season’s finale, which saw Manchester City lift the title from Manchester United’s clutches with Sergio Aguero’s injury time winner against QPR.
League leaders Eastern can secure an unexpected domestic treble with victory over R&F at Hong Kong Stadium, a team they beat 4-0 earlier in the season.
This would be back-to-back titles for Eastern coach Lee Chi-kin, who guided Tai Po to a first title last season before moving to Eastern ahead of this season. Lee also took several players with him.
R&F can win their first Hong Kong Premier League title if they beat Eastern and Kitchee fail to beat Happy Valley.
Eastern close in on their third silverware for the season
Kitchee, who were last champions two seasons ago, can win a fourth HKPL crown with a win over Happy Valley and Eastern dropping points. Their superior head-to-head record over R&F would see them win the title.
R&F can secure qualification for either the AFC Champions League or AFC Cup depending on results. Their Chinese Super League sister side Guangzhou R&F are unable to qualify for either continental competition after the first half of the reformatted 2020 season. The AFC ruled that R&F could represent Hong Kong earlier this year.
The Guangzhou-based HKPL side would qualify even if they finish third provided that the AFC extend their ban on North Korean sides.
HKPL title race in Eastern’s hands after Southern shock Kitchee
Next season, which begins later this month, will see R&F will play all of their games in Hong Kong rather than at Guangzhou’s Yanzigang Stadium because of the coronavirus pandemic.
They will continue to house players in hotels and training at the HKFA training centre, as they have since the season restarted.
“R&F will move their home matches to Hong Kong and there will be no change of home ground after the start of the season,” HKFA chairman Pui Kwan-kay said on Wednesday after a meeting between HKPL clubs.
