Even after a thunderstorm delayed the start of the AFC Cup group encounter between Kitchee and Balestier Khalsa in Singapore on Tuesday night, marksman Juan Belencoso maintained the thunder with a brace in the Hong Kong side's 2-1 win. Belencoso was in imperious form, smacking in goals in each half to book Kitchee a place in the last 16 of the regional soccer competition. He tapped in a cross from Christian Annan in the 14th minute and then slid in with his right foot in the 61st minute to meet a pinpoint pass from Jorge Tarres. "We played really well. We created a lot of chances but only scored twice," said Kitchee coach Jose Molina. "Yet, the most important thing was to win the match and we did that. We have been playing some fantastic football in the past month, winning a lot of matches and titles. This is one more good result and I hope we can continue this momentum Kitchee coach Jose Molina "It is good to come away having booked our berth in the next stage. We have been playing some fantastic football in the past month, winning a lot of matches and titles. This is one more good result and I hope we can continue this momentum." It could have turned into a cakewalk for Kitchee if Belencoso had been on target on at least two more occasions when, with only the Khalsa goalie to beat, he thumped the ball over the bar. "He missed a couple but he also scored both our goals. He is a striker and everyone expects him to score all the time. He played well and did his job," said Molina. But those misses meant Kitchee had to survive a few anxious moments, having conceded a soft goal to Muhammad Fadhil in the first half, which kept the home team in the fray right until the end. The victory allowed Kitchee to stay second in group F on 10 points, two points behind group leaders Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim. The Malaysian side beat Kingfisher East Bengal of India 1-0 in Calcutta. The Singapore fling by Kitchee means both Hong Kong clubs in the competition are safely through to the knockout stages. South China, who meet Global FC of the Philippines in a group G encounter at Mong Kok Stadium on Wednesday night have already booked their berth in the last 16. Kitchee can look back on a month of extraordinary success. They are on the verge of winning the inaugural Hong Kong Premier League, they have won the League Cup and are through to the final of the FA Cup.