Kitchee out to end 'amazing' April with victory over Singapore's Khalsa in AFC Cup
Skipper Fernando Recio wants to reach the knockout phase of the regional second-tier club competition
Kitchee captain Fernando Recio is hopeful his team can put the icing on a memorable April by clinching a berth in the last 16 of the AFC Cup by defeating Singapore's Balestier Khalsa FC at Jalan Besar Stadium tonight.
Kitchee are on the verge of being crowned the inaugural champions of the Premier League. They won the League Cup last Thursday with a smashing 4-0 win over arch-rivals South China and have booked a place in the FA Cup final, albeit with a penalty shoot-out win over YFMCD on Saturday.
But Recio wants more - a place in the knockout phase of the regional second-tier club competition. That will be assured with victory tonight in Singapore.
"It is not going to be easy. We defeated Khalsa 3-0 at home, but playing away is a different ball game. We won't have the support of our fans, it will be very humid and the pitch is very different to what we are used to. It will be a tough match," Recio said.
"We trained on the pitch and it is very fast. But we will stick to our style of play, trying to keep possession," the 32-year-old Spaniard said. "It is a really important match and if we win we enter the next round, which is our target for the moment."
Kitchee are placed second in group F, two points behind Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim (nine points). Kitchee's final group match is against India's Kingfisher East Bengal, who they host on May 12 at Mong Kok Stadium.
Central defender Recio, the Footballer of the Year last season, has just returned from a foot injury, playing one half against Tai Po in the league, and a full 90 minutes in a losing cause, 2-0 against Johor, in the AFC Cup.
"I'm still not a 100 per cent, but I'm ready to go. This season, especially these past few weeks, has been amazing and a victory over Khalsa will continue that momentum," Recio said.
Hong Kong's other representatives in the AFC Cup, South China, will host Global FC, of the Philippines, at Mong Kok Stadium tomorrow night in group G. The Caroliners are already certain of a place in the next round.
