Kitchee Face Gangwon FC in AFC Champions League 2 Home Opener at Mong Kok Stadium
SingTao · 3 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Kitchee, representing Hong Kong in the AFC Champions League 2, will play their opening home match against Gangwon FC of South Korea at Mong Kok Stadium on Thursday evening. Head coach Caldito has expressed respect for the opponents while affirming his team will not fear them, focusing instead on leveraging their home advantage. Kitchee arrives in solid form with an unbeaten league record, though they will be missing two players due to injury .
Key Points
- The match is scheduled for Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 8:15pm at Mong Kok Stadium, broadcast live on HOY 76
- Kitchee's season record shows three wins and one draw, maintaining an unbeaten start to the Hong Kong Premier League
- Gangwon FC finished 16th in last season's AFC Champions League Elite and currently sit fifth in the K League with 42 points
- Gangwon coach Jung Kyung-ho acknowledged Kitchee as one of Hong Kong's strongest teams with quality foreign players and a Spanish head coach
- Two Kitchee players, Kanda Yume and Ji Young, are ruled out with injuries expected to require one to two weeks of recovery
- Gangwon traveled with only 18 players including two goalkeepers, bringing just two foreign players: Montenegrin defender Dust and Algerian defender Zahoz
- Young midfielder Lam Pak-yin, who proved himself last season, will be included in the matchday squad despite his age being described as "just a number" by the coach
Why It Matters
This match carries significant importance for Hong Kong football as Kitchee's first home game in the restructured AFC Champions League 2, a competition that represents the continent's second-tier club competition. With Kitchee's previous Asian campaign yielding limited success, a strong result against a traditionally stronger Korean opponent would boost Hong Kong's standing in Asian club football and provide a morale boost for the local football community. The performance of young Hong Kong players like Lam Pak-yin against established regional competition will also serve as a benchmark for the development of local talent.
This match carries significant importance for Hong Kong football as Kitchee's first home game in the restructured AFC Champions League 2, a competition that represents the continent's second-tier club competition. With Kitchee's previous Asian campaign yielding limited success, a strong result against a traditionally stronger Korean opponent would boost Hong Kong's standing in Asian club football and provide a morale boost for the local football community. The performance of young Hong Kong players like Lam Pak-yin against established regional competition will also serve as a benchmark for the development of local talent.