Hong Kong Premier League: Lee Man thrash Sham Shui Po to take title race down to wire, will face Kitchee in decider
- League race will go down to final game of the season on May 7, when Lee Man take on Kitchee
- Goals from Everton Camargo, Jose Alonso, Jonatan Acosta and Givanilton Ferreira settle matters after goalless first half
Lee Man overcame a nervy start to thrash Sham Shui Po 4-0 on Sunday, and set the BOC Hong Kong Premier League up for a grandstand finish.
Trailing leaders Kitchee by five points going into the game, Lee Man’s convincing victory means the title will be decided on the final day of the season when the sides meet at Mong Kok Stadium on May 7.
Goals from Everton Camargo, Jose Alonso, Jonatan Acosta and Givanilton Ferreira were enough to see off the struggling Sham Shui Po, who sit one off the bottom of the table in ninth.
Still, it took Lee Man nearly an hour to break down their opponents defence at Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground, and coach Tsang Chiu-tat said his players had been “too tense”.
“They all knew the importance of the result but could not find the finishing touch,” Tsang said. “Luckily, we were able to reshape the team after the break and a quick goal in the second half changed the situation and instilled the required confidence into the players.”
While not conceding will have boosted Lee Man’s confidence, Kitchee’s two point cushion means the league leaders only need a draw to win their third title in a row, and sixth since the league came into being in 2014.