2024–25 Hong Kong Sapling Cup
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | Hong Kong |
| Dates | 12 October 2024 – 1 May 2025 |
| Teams | 9 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Southern |
| Runners-up | Lee Man |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 19 |
| Goals scored | 58 (3.05 per match) |
| Attendance | 10,785 (568 per match) |
| Top goal scorer(s) | Matheus Chulapa Michel Renner Igor Sartori (3 goals each) |
| Awards | |
| Best player | Jonatan Acosta |
The 2024–25 Hong Kong Sapling Cup (named as JC Sapling Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 10th edition of the Hong Kong Sapling Cup. The competition was contested by the 9 teams in the 2024–25 Hong Kong Premier League. Each team was required to field a minimum of three players born on or after 1 January 2003 (U-22) and a maximum of six foreign players during every whole match.[1]
Rangers were the defending champions, but were eliminated in the group stage. Southern became the champions for the second time after beating Lee Man in the final.
Details
[edit]The champions of the JC Sapling Cup will receive HKD$120,000 in prize money, and HKD$100,000 donation to the champions' specified organization. Meanwhile, the runner-up will receive HKD$60,000, and HKD$50,000 donation to the runner-up's specified organization. In addition, the two losing teams in the semi-finals will receive HK$30,000 while the remaining teams will receive HK$15,000.
In addition, the best U-22 player in each team will receive a prize of HKD$3,000. The most outstanding U-22 player among the selected best U-22 players from each team will receive an additional HKD$5,000 for being the best of all the U-22 players.[2]
Format
[edit]The participating teams were divided into two groups for a single round-robin tournament. Top two teams in each group advance to the semi-finals.
Calendar
[edit]| Phase | Draw Date | Date | Matches | Clubs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group stage | 23 September 2024 | 12 October 2024 – 26 March 2025 | 16 | 9 → 4 |
| Semi-finals | 9 – 16 April 2025 | 2 | 4 → 2 | |
| Final | 1 May 2025 | 1 | 2 → 1 |
Fixtures and results
[edit]Group stage
[edit]Group A
[edit]| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tai Po | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 10 | Advance to Semi-finals |
| 2 | Eastern | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 4 | +5 | 7 | |
| 3 | North District | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 5[a] | |
| 4 | Kitchee | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | −1 | 5[a] | |
| 5 | HKFC | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 13 | −10 | 0 |
Source: HKFA
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Fair-play points;
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Fair-play points;
Notes:
| 13 October 2024 | Tai Po | 2–1 | Eastern | Tai Po, New Territories |
| 15:00 | Report |
|
Stadium: Tai Po Sports Ground Attendance: 586 Referee: Ho Wai Sing |
| 13 October 2024 | HKFC | 1–3 | North District | Diamond Hill, Kowloon |
| 15:00 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground Attendance: 155 Referee: Yu Kin Fung |
| 16 November 2024 | North District | 1–1 | Kitchee | Sheung Shui, New Territories |
| 15:00 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: North District Sports Ground Attendance: 288 Referee: Wong Po Sing |
| 16 November 2024 | Eastern | 4–0 | HKFC | Tsing Yi, New Territories |
| 18:00 |
|
Report | Stadium: Tsing Yi Sports Ground Attendance: 217 Referee: Poon Chun Kit |
| 8 December 2024 | Kitchee | 3–1 | HKFC | Diamond Hill, Kowloon |
| 15:00 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground Attendance: 232 Referee: Luk Kin Sun |
| 8 December 2024 | Tai Po | 3–3 | North District | Sheung Shui, New Territories |
| 15:00 |
|
Report | Stadium: North District Sports Ground Attendance: 269 Referee: Woo Chun Sing |
| 15 December 2024 | North District | 1–3 | Eastern | Sheung Shui, New Territories |
| 15:00 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: North District Sports Ground Attendance: 221 Referee: Cheung Wai Lung |
| 15 December 2024 | Kitchee | 0–3 | Tai Po | Tsing Yi, New Territories |
| 18:00 | Report |
|
Stadium: Tsing Yi Sports Ground Attendance: 290 Referee: Wong Po Sing |
| 22 March 2025 | HKFC | 1–3 | Tai Po | Siu Sai Wan, Hong Kong Island |
| 15:00 |
|
Report | Stadium: Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground Attendance: 592 Referee: Poon Chun Kit |
| 22 March 2025 | Eastern | 1–1 | Kitchee | Siu Sai Wan, Hong Kong Island |
| 18:00 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground Attendance: 592 Referee: Luk Kin Sun |
Group B
[edit]| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 6[a] | Advance to Semi-finals |
| 2 | Lee Man | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 6[a] | |
| 3 | Rangers | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 6[a] | |
| 4 | Kowloon City | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 10 | −8 | 0 |
Source: HKFA
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Fair-play points;
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Fair-play points;
Notes:
| 12 October 2024 | Rangers | 0–1 | Lee Man | Mong Kok, Kowloon |
| 15:00 | Report |
|
Stadium: Mong Kok Stadium Attendance: 574 Referee: Wong Wai Lun |
| 12 October 2024 | Southern | 4–0 | Kowloon City | Tsing Yi, New Territories |
| 18:00 |
|
Report | Stadium: Tsing Yi Sports Ground Attendance: 276 Referee: Tang Hing Fu |
| 17 November 2024 | Rangers | 2–1 | Kowloon City | Siu Sai Wan, Hong Kong Island |
| 15:00 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground Attendance: 410 Referee: Woo Chun Sing |
| 17 November 2024 | Lee Man | 0–1 | Southern | Siu Sai Wan, Hong Kong Island |
| 18:00 | Report |
|
Stadium: Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground Attendance: 410 Referee: Ho Wai Sing |
| 15 December 2024 | Kowloon City | 1–4 | Lee Man | Sham Shui Po, Kowloon |
| 15:00 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Sham Shui Po Sports Ground Attendance: 455 Referee: Tang Hing Fu |
Knockout stage
[edit]Bracket
[edit]| Semi-finals | Finals | |||||
| 16 April 2025 | ||||||
| Tai Po | 1 (2) | |||||
| 1 May 2025 | ||||||
| Lee Man(p) | 1 (4) | |||||
| Lee Man | 0 | |||||
| 9 April 2025 | ||||||
| Southern | 4 | |||||
| Southern | 1 | |||||
| Eastern | 0 | |||||
Semi-finals
[edit]| 9 April 2025 | Southern | 1–0 | Eastern | Mong Kok Stadium |
| 20:00 | Report | Attendance: 716 Referee: Tam Ping Wun |
Final
[edit]Top scorers
[edit]| Rank | Player | Club | Goals[3] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Matheus Chulapa |
North District | 3 |
| Michel Renner |
Tai Po | ||
| Igor Sartori |
Tai Po | ||
| 4 |  Noah Baffoe |
Eastern | 2 |
| Víctor Bertomeu |
Eastern | ||
| Gregory |
Southern | ||
| Kendy |
North District | ||
 Jahangir Khan |
North District | ||
| Lau Chi Lok |
Rangers | ||
| Leung Kwun Chung |
Eastern | ||
| Marcão |
Tai Po | ||
| Stefan Pereira |
Southern |
Awards
[edit]Best U-22 Player
[edit]| Prize | Team | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Best U-22 Player in Each Team | Eastern | Ma Hei Wai |
| HKFC | James Wright | |
| Kitchee | Chen Ngo Hin | |
| Kowloon City | Ho Lung Ho | |
| Lee Man | Timothy Chow | |
| North District | Dai Tsz Hin | |
| Rangers | Li Wing Ho | |
| Southern | Sohgo Ichikawa | |
| Tai Po | Lee Lok Him | |
| Best of all U-22 Players | Southern | Sohgo Ichikawa |
References
[edit]- ↑ 袁志浩 (2024-09-23). "菁英盃減場次 足總爭取馬會延續贊助 港足東亞錦外圍賽或遇朝鮮". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 2024-09-23.
- ↑ "賽馬會菁英盃 分組賽改踢單循環 10．12展開". on.cc東網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 2024-09-23. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
- ↑ HKFA 30 September 2023
