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Jonathan White

Reigning Hong Kong Premier League champions Kitchee lost their first league game in almost two years with a 3-1 home defeat by Hong Kong R&F at Mong Kok Stadium on Wednesday night.
The reverse ends a 31-game undefeated run in the HKPL for last year’s double winners, who went the whole of the previous league season without a loss.
The last time they lost in the league before Wednesday’s defeat was against Southern on January 21, 2017, some 22 months ago.
R&F, the affiliate of the Chinese Super League side based in Guangzhou, deserved their win.

Victory leaves them third in the table, a point behind leaders Eastern and level with Southern. It was a reward for their fans who had braved the rain.
The champions are sixth in the table after six games.
Last season’s league MVP Krisztian Vadocz lost his first ever league game as a starter for Kitchee. He came on as a substitute in the previous defeat to Southern.
The Hungarian midfielder has recently returned to the club as they look to win the title for a third consecutive year.
George Best, Bobby Moore and Arie Haan: when Hong Kong football attracted World Cup and Champions League winners 
However, that title tilt is not going to plan. They have parted company with summer signing Mohammed Sissoko and have already dropped more points than they did in the whole of last season.
Rivals Eastern are top of the table, have a four-point lead over Kitchee and also have a game in hand, against pointless new boys Hoi King. Kitchee beat the newly promoted side 8-1 in their previous game.
Romanian side Steaua Bucharest have the longest unbeaten run in league football, with a 104-game streak from 1986 to 1989.
More recently Gibraltar’s Lincoln Red Imps went 88 league games without defeat from 2009 to 2014.
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Kitchee SC

Kitchee’s two-year unbeaten league run ends as Hong Kong Premier League champions lose to R&F at Mong Kok Stadium

Hong Kong R&F’s players applaud their fans after ending Kitchee’s 31-game unbeaten league run at Mong Kok Stadium. Photo: Jonathan White

Kitchee v R&F. Photo: Jonathan White

Kitchee's Krisztian Vadocz with one of the trophies he won at the ceremony in Kowloon Bay. He was voted the Hong Kong Footballer of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year, Most Favourite Player and Top Midfielder for the Hong Kong Premier League 2017-2018. 17MAY18 SCMP/Andrew McNicol

George Best, Bobby Moore and Arie Haan: when Hong Kong football attracted World Cup and Champions League winners

Bobby Moore (right) when at Eastern in December 1981. Photo: P.Y. Tang/SCMP

Bobby Charlton (R) and Alan Ball at Kai Tak Airport in June 1977.

Soccer star Bobby Moore (centre) showing off his excellent talents. 18DEC81

Soccer player George Best in the Bulova vs Rangers match at Hong Kong. 14 November 1982

Sport

Hong Kong

Defeat leaves double winners off pace as they look for third title in a row
The champions are sixth in the table after six games


Defeat leaves the double winners off the pace as they look for a third title in a row, with the champions sixth in the table after six games


Hong Kong Premier League

Kitchee’s two-year unbeaten league run ends as Hong Kong Premier League champions lose to R&F at Mong Kok Stadium

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Defeat leaves double winners off pace as they look for third title in a row The champions are sixth in the table after six games

Defeat leaves double winners off pace as they look for third title in a row

The champions are sixth in the table after six games