Kitchee’s Dejan Damjanovic targets AFC Champions League goal record after 21-day quarantine ends
- The Montenegrin has scored 36 goals in the ACL and wants to break the record of South Korean Lee Dong-gook, who has 37
- The 39-year-old is part of ACL squad who face Guangzhou and Thailand’s Port FC in group J
The 39-year-old is one of the most successful strikers in the tournament’s history, scoring 36 goals – one fewer than South Korean Lee Dong-gook – over 14 years representing teams from South Korea, China and Saudi Arabia.
He hopes 10-time Hong Kong champions Kitchee can help him fulfil his ambition of becoming the ACL’s record goalscorer in group J in April and May.
“One of my priorities is to play in the ACL and that is the main reason I joined Kitchee,” said Damjanovic. “They are playing in the ACL and they are giving me the chance to try to help them and to break the record of becoming the best scorer in ACL history. I hope my goals and my performances can help Kitchee do something in the ACL.”
Kitchee are in group J of the ACL with China’s Guangzhou FC (formerly Guangzhou Evegrande), Thailand’s Port FC and the winners of a play-off qualifier. The Hong Kong Football Association is bidding to host the matches in the city, though they face tough competition from Thailand.
Damjanovic said he visited Hong Kong in 2016 and met his friend Nikola Komazec, who has played for South China, Pegasus, Southern and Kitchee.
“At that time, he was joking that maybe one day I would come to play in Hong Kong. And that has happened,” he said.
Damjanovic, who has scored more than 350 goals during his career, said he was happy to come out of quarantine. Hong Kong has some of the strictest rules in the world with arrivals needing to spend 21 days in isolation.
“It was not easy, but I found ways to spend time with my family in isolation,” said Damjanovic. “This is something you know you have to do in Hong Kong. Now it’s behind me and I’m looking forward to playing.”
Damjanovic was a free agent, according to transfermarkt.com. He left South Korean side Daegu in January having played for four teams in the country.
He scored twice over two legs in the 2013 ACL final and winning the MVP award though his FC Seoul side were beaten on away goals by China’s Guangzhou Evergrande.
When Kitchee announced Damjanovic’s signing in January, club boss Ken Ng Kin said he may sign other players to boost their ACL squad.
“Kitchee’s intention is to continue our success locally, now with seven league titles in the past 10 seasons,” said Ng at the time. “We also want to have a meaningful participation in ACL. Therefore, we will never rule out further recruitment to strengthen the squad.”
