Hong Kong FA Cup: Kitchee boss furious after Chan hat-trick seals Tai Po comeback
Edgar Cardoso believes Tai Po should have received two red cards, but district team reach semi-finals after Chan inspires recovery
After being enlisted as a false nine, Philip Chan Siu-kwan looked every inch an authentic centre-forward as he scored his first career hat-trick in Tai Po’s thrilling 3-2 FA Cup quarter-final victory over Kitchee on Saturday.
Kitchee appeared to be cruising towards a semi-final date with Eastern or Kowloon City when they led 2-0 at Mong Kok Stadium following well-taken goals from Fernando and Sherzod Temirov.
Chan’s smart 38th-minute headed finish brought demons flooding to the surface for Kitchee, after they collapsed from 2-0 up to lose 3-2 to Kowloon on Wednesday.
“It didn’t cross my mind, because it’s a different game – all I thought about was how we were going to execute,” Chan said. “With my level of game, I know I can bring the team to a different level.”
Hong Kong midfielder Chan occupied the more advanced role because regular striker Lucas Silva was a late withdrawal through injury. Lee Chi-kin, the Tai Po head coach, said further injury blows for defenders Gabriel Cividini and Marcao – taken to hospital after hurting a knee – removed some gloss from a remarkable comeback.
But if Lee, who is missing a handful of other key performers, finds more solutions to match his redeployment of Chan, league leaders Tai Po have every chance of achieving double success.