2017–18 Hong Kong Sapling Cup
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The 2017–18 Hong Kong Sapling Cup (officially the 2017–18 R&F Properties Sapling Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 3rd edition of the Sapling Cup. The Cup was contested by the 10 teams in the 2017–18 Hong Kong Premier League. Kitchee were crowned champions after defeating Tai Po in the final.
The objective of the Cup was to create more potential playing opportunities for youth players. In this Cup competition, each team played a minimum of two players born on or after 1 January 1996 (U22) and six foreign players at most during every whole match, with no more than four foreign players on the pitch at the same time.
Calendar
| Stage | Draw Date | Date | Matches | Clubs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group Stage | 2 October 2017 | 28 October 2017 – 18 March 2018 | 20 | 10 → 4 |
| Semi-finals | 21–22 April 2018 | 2 | 4 → 2 | |
| Final | 19 May 2018 at Hong Kong Stadium | 1 | 2 → 1 |
Results
Group stage
Group A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tai Po | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 5 | +8 | 10 | Advance to semi-finals |
| 2 | Dreams FC | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 7 | |
| 3 | Lee Man | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 5 | |
| 4 | Yuen Long | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 2 | |
| 5 | Eastern | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 2 |
| 28 October 2017(2017-10-28) M02 | Dreams FC | 2–1 | Lee Man | Tsing Yi, Hong Kong |
| 17:30 UTC+8 | Joaquín 29' Cheng Chin Lung 43' | Pereira 78' | Stadium: Tsing Yi Sports Ground Attendance: 480 |
| 29 October 2017(2017-10-29) M03 | Tai Po | 5–2 | Eastern | Diamond Hill, Hong Kong |
| 14:30 UTC+8 | Tan Chun Lok 13' Sartori 17' Lazari 34', 90+4' Nakamura 35' | Bleda 27' (pen.) Xu Deshuai 54' | Stadium: Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground Attendance: 672 |
| 26 November 2017(2017-11-26) M05 | Tai Po | 3–0 | Yuen Long | Diamond Hill, Hong Kong |
| 14:30 UTC+8 | Sartori 5' Chak Ting Fung 19' Russell 25' | Stadium: Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground Attendance: 490 |
| 3 December 2017(2017-12-03) M08 | Eastern | 0–1 | Dreams FC | Tseung Kwan O, Hong Kong |
| 17:30 UTC+8 | Cheng Chin Lung 74' | Stadium: Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground Attendance: 579 |
| 16 December 2017(2017-12-16) M09 | Lee Man | 0–0 | Eastern | Diamond Hill, Hong Kong |
| 14:30 UTC+8 | Stadium: Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground Attendance: 589 |
| 17 December 2017(2017-12-17) M11 | Yuen Long | 1–1 | Dreams FC | Tsing Yi, Hong Kong |
| 14:30 UTC+8 | Juninho 66' | Harima 81' | Stadium: Tsing Yi Sports Ground Attendance: 645 |
| 9 February 2018(2018-02-09) M13 | Dreams FC | 0–2 | Tai Po | Mong Kok, Hong Kong |
| 20:00 UTC+8 | Chiu Siu Wai 17' Wong Cho Sum 90' | Stadium: Mong Kok Stadium Attendance: 571 |
| 11 February 2018(2018-02-11) M15 | Yuen Long | 1–2 | Lee Man | Diamond Hill, Hong Kong |
| 14:30 UTC+8 | Randelovic 21' | Pereira 65' Denis 90' | Stadium: Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground Attendance: 410 |
| 17 March 2018(2018-03-17) M18 | Eastern | 0–0 | Yuen Long | Mong Kok, Hong Kong |
| 17:30 UTC+8 | Stadium: Mong Kok Stadium Attendance: 734 |
| 18 March 2018(2018-03-18) M20 | Lee Man | 3–3 | Tai Po | Tsing Yi, Hong Kong |
| 17:30 UTC+8 | Pereira 48', 67' (pen.), 88' | Chan Hiu Fung 7' Wan 57' (o.g.) Lee Ka Yiu 59' | Stadium: Tsing Yi Sports Ground Attendance: 324 |
Group B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kitchee | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 3 | +6 | 10 | Advance to semi-finals |
| 2 | Pegasus | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 9 | |
| 3 | Southern | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 4 | |
| 4 | China R&F | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 8 | −3 | 3 | |
| 5 | Rangers | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 9 | −4 | 3 |
| 28 October 2017(2017-10-28) M01 | Southern | 1–2 | Rangers | Diamond Hill, Hong Kong |
| 14:30 UTC+8 | Marcos 90+6' (pen.) | Miović 27' Cheng Siu Kwan 61' | Stadium: Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground Attendance: 396 |
| 29 October 2017(2017-10-29) M04 | Pegasus | 0–4 | Kitchee | Mong Kok, Hong Kong |
| 17:30 UTC+8 | Sandro 50' Alex 53', 56' Stamp 78' | Stadium: Mong Kok Stadium Attendance: 1,173 |
| 2 December 2017(2017-12-02) M06 | R&F China | 1–2 | Pegasus | Tseung Kwan O, Hong Kong |
| 17:30 UTC+8 | Giovane 36' | Major 56' Wu Chun Ming 70' | Stadium: Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground Attendance: 301 |
| 3 December 2017(2017-12-03) M07 | Southern | 1–1 | Kitchee | Diamond Hill, Hong Kong |
| 14:30 UTC+8 | Marcos 16' | Fernando 73' | Stadium: Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground Attendance: 752 |
| 16 December 2017(2017-12-16) M10 | Kitchee | 1–0 | China R&F | Tseung Kwan O, Hong Kong |
| 17:30 UTC+8 | Vadócz 30' | Stadium: Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground Attendance: 423 |
| 17 December 2017(2017-12-17) M12 | Rangers | 0–3 | Pegasus | Tsing Yi, Hong Kong |
| 17:00 UTC+8 | Major 33', 87' Emir 84' | Stadium: Tsing Yi Sports Ground Attendance: 645 |
| 10 February 2018(2018-02-10) M14 | Rangers | 1–2 | China R&F | Tseung Kwan O, Hong Kong |
| 17:00 UTC+8 | Lau Chi Lok 69' | Wong Kai Yiu 33' Leonço 54' | Stadium: Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground Attendance: 125 |
| 11 February 2018(2018-02-11) M16 | Pegasus | 1–0 | Southern | Tsing Yi, Hong Kong |
| 17:30 UTC+8 | Awal 77' | Stadium: Tsing Yi Sports Ground Attendance: 437 |
| 17 March 2018(2018-03-17) M17 | R&F China | 2–4 | Southern | Yuen Long, Hong Kong |
| 14:30 UTC+8 | Leonço 13', 90+2' | Wellingsson 39', 75' Martínez 58' Ngue 84' | Stadium: Yuen Long Stadium Attendance: 236 |
| 18 March 2018(2018-03-18) M19 | Kitchee | 3–2 | Rangers | Diamond Hill, Hong Kong |
| 14:30 UTC+8 | Lum 2', 15' Vadócz 41' | Lau Chi Lok 29' Sasaki 60' (pen.) | Stadium: Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground Attendance: 324 |
Semi-finals
| 21 April 2018(2018-04-21) M21 | Tai Po | 2–1 | Pegasus | Mong Kok, Hong Kong |
| 17:30 UTC+8 | Sartori 50' (pen.) Lazari 90+4' | Lam 24' | Stadium: Mong Kok Stadium Attendance: 1,107 Referee: Tong Kui Sum |
| 22 April 2018(2018-04-22) M22 | Kitchee | 3–1 | Dreams FC | Mong Kok, Hong Kong |
| 17:30 UTC+8 | Vadócz 15' Alex 70', 84' | Lam Hin Ting 50' | Stadium: Mong Kok Stadium Attendance: 1,341 Referee: Ho Wai Sing |
Final
| 19 May 2018(2018-05-19) M23 | Tai Po | 1–2 | Kitchee | So Kon Po, Hong Kong |
| 15:00 UTC+8 | Leung Kwun Chung 90+3' | Fernando 85', 89' | Stadium: Hong Kong Stadium Attendance: 2,165 Referee: Ng Chiu Kok |