Manchester City stroll past Kitchee with 6-1 win at Hong Kong Stadium amid anti-government protests in crowd
- Pep Guardiola’s side win first silverware of the season with a 6-1 victory in the Jockey Club Kitchee Centre Cup
- Fans call for ‘Free Hong Kong’ in intermittent anti-government chants, while one protester invaded the pitch
It was a blue moon over Hong Kong Stadium as Manchester City strolled to a 6-1 victory over Kitchee in the Jockey Club Kitchee Centre Cup.
The visitors will be happy to have won their first silverware of what they hope to be another trophy laden season but despite coach Pep Guardiola making out that Kitchee would present a “test”, in truth it was little more than a routine victory.
There was nothing routine about the situation surrounding the match though as rumours of anti-government protests came true with a 21st minute rendition of Do You Hear The People Sing?, with the Les Miserables tune supported by the drums of Kitchee’s Blue Wave Ultras supporters group.
That was followed with many of the 20,926 crowd joining chants of “Free Hong Kong” while others held up anti-government banners.
Before that emotions had already run high with the 15th minute substitution of Kim Dong-jin, the South Korean making his final appearance for Kitchee before retiring to a coaching role.