2023–24 Hong Kong Sapling Cup

Football tournament season
Football tournament season
2023–24 JC Sapling Cup
Tournament details
CountryHong Kong
Dates30 September 2023 – 15 May 2024
Teams11
Defending championsSouthern
Final positions
ChampionsRangers
Runner-upKitchee
Tournament statistics
Matches played53
Goals scored209 (3.94 per match)
Attendance21,288 (402 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)Noah Baffoe
Ismael Dunga
Mikael
Nassam Ibrahim
(7 goals each)
All statistics correct as of 15 May 2024.
2024–25 →

The 2023–24 Hong Kong Sapling Cup (named as JC Sapling Cup for sponsorship reasons) is the 9th edition of the Hong Kong Sapling Cup. The competition is contested by the 11 teams in the 2023–24 Hong Kong Premier League. Each team is required to field a minimum of three players born on or after 1 January 2002 (U-22) and a maximum of six foreign players during every whole match.

Southern are the defending champions, but were eliminated in the semi-finals. Rangers became the champions for the first time after beating Kitchee in the final.

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.[1]

Format

The participating teams were divided into two groups for a double round-robin tournament. Top two teams in each group advance to the semi-finals.

Calendar

Phase Draw Date Date Matches Clubs
Group stage 20 September 2023 30 September 2023 – 24 March 2024 50 11 → 4
Semi-finals 3, 10 April 2024 2 4 → 2
Final 15 May 2024 1 2 → 1

Fixtures and results

Group stage

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Southern 10 6 4 0 25 10 +15 22 Advance to Semi-finals
2 Tai Po 10 6 1 3 19 13 +6 19
3 Eastern 10 4 5 1 25 14 +11 17
4 HKFC 10 3 3 4 19 23 −4 12
5 Sham Shui Po 10 2 1 7 15 33 −18 7
6 HK U23 10 1 2 7 11 21 −10 5
Updated to match(es) played on 23 March 2024. Source: HKFA
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Goal difference; 5) Goals scored.
Tai Po v HKFC
15 October 2023 (2023-10-15) SP04 Tai Po 2–1 HKFC Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground
15:00 Report
Attendance: 388
Referee: Yu Kin Fung
Southern v Eastern
15 October 2023 (2023-10-15) SP05 Southern 2–2 Eastern Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground
18:00
Report Attendance: 388
Referee: Ho Wai Sing
HKFC v Tai Po
15 November 2023 (2023-11-15) SP06 HKFC 2–0 Tai Po Kowloon Bay Park
20:30
Report Attendance: 166
Referee: Yu Kin Fung
Sham Shui Po v Southern
19 November 2023 (2023-11-19) SP08 Sham Shui Po 0–4 Southern Kowloon Bay Park
15:00 Report
Attendance: 273
Referee: Yu Kin Fung
HK U23 v Tai Po
19 November 2023 (2023-11-19) SP10 HK U23 0–1 Tai Po Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground
18:00 Report
  • Luizinho 12'
Attendance: 275
Referee: Wong Po Sing
Eastern v HKFC
26 November 2023 (2023-11-26) SP11 Eastern 4–1 HKFC Sham Shui Po Sports Ground
15:00
Report
  • Léo 5'
Attendance: 254
Referee: Luk Kin Sun
Sham Shui Po v Tai Po
3 December 2023 (2023-12-03) SP12 Sham Shui Po 0–3 Tai Po Kowloon Bay Park
15:00 Report
Attendance: 161
Referee: Ho Wai Sing
Eastern v HK U23
3 December 2023 (2023-12-03) SP13 Eastern 2–2 HK U23 Mong Kok Stadium
18:00
Report
Attendance: 272
Referee: Poon Chun Kit
Tai Po v Eastern
6 December 2023 (2023-12-06) SP14 Tai Po 2–1 Eastern Kowloon Bay Park
20:30
  • Marcão 17'
  • Luizinho 24'
Report Attendance: 261
Referee: Wong Po Sing
Sham Shui Po v HKFC
24 December 2023 (2023-12-24) SP18 Sham Shui Po 4–4 HKFC Hong Kong Football Club Stadium
15:00
Report
  • Thiago 19' (pen.), 72'
  • Paulinho 52'
  • Ngue 88' (pen.)
Attendance: 192
Referee: Tang Hing Fu
Eastern v Tai Po
25 December 2023 (2023-12-25) SP19 Eastern 2–2 Tai Po Kowloon Bay Park
15:00
Report
Attendance: 442
Referee: Law Bik Chi
Sham Shui Po v HK U23
30 December 2023 (2023-12-30) SP20 Sham Shui Po 0–5 HK U23 Kowloon Bay Park
15:00 Report
Attendance: 203
Referee: Wong Po Sing
Southern v HKFC
31 December 2023 (2023-12-31) SP21 Southern 2–2 HKFC Hong Kong Football Club Stadium
15:00
Report
Attendance: 358
Referee: Cheung Wai Lung
Southern v Tai Po
6 January 2024 (2024-01-06) SP22 Southern 3–1 Tai Po Aberdeen Sports Ground
15:00
Report Attendance: 351
Referee: Luk Kin Sun
Eastern v Sham Shui Po
6 January 2024 (2024-01-06) SP23 Eastern 3–0 Sham Shui Po Kowloon Bay Park
15:00
Report Attendance: 190
Referee: Tang Hing Fu
HKFC v HK U23
7 January 2024 (2024-01-07) SP26 HKFC 2–1 HK U23 Hong Kong Football Club Stadium
16:30
  • Paulinho 34'
  • Thiago 72' (pen.)
Report Attendance: 256
Referee: Woo Chun Sing
Southern v Sham Shui Po
13 January 2024 (2024-01-13) SP27 Southern 3–1 Sham Shui Po Aberdeen Sports Ground
15:00
Report
Attendance: 217
Referee: Wong Po Sing
Tai Po v HK U23
14 January 2024 (2024-01-14) SP30 Tai Po 4–0 HK U23 Tai Po Sports Ground
15:00
  • Biteco 22'
  • Lucas 41', 61'
  • Marcão 58'
Report Attendance: 333
Referee: Tam Ping Wun
HKFC v Eastern
14 January 2024 (2024-01-14) SP31 HKFC 3–3 Eastern Hong Kong Football Club Stadium
16:30
  • Thiago 56'
  • Léo 80'
  • Fray 90+5'
Report
Attendance: 353
Referee: Law Bik Chi
HK U23 v Southern
17 January 2024 (2024-01-17) SP32 HK U23 1–1 Southern Kowloon Bay Park
20:30 Report
Attendance: 191
Referee: Wong Wai Lun
Tai Po v Sham Shui Po
21 January 2024 (2024-01-21) SP35 Tai Po 4–2 Sham Shui Po Tai Po Sports Ground
15:00
Report Attendance: 330
Referee: Luk Kin Sun
HK U23 v Eastern
21 January 2024 (2024-01-21) SP36 HK U23 1–2 Eastern Kowloon Bay Park
15:00 Report
Attendance: 176
Referee: Chow Hon Fai
HKFC v Southern
21 January 2024 (2024-01-21) SP37 HKFC 2–4 Southern Hong Kong Football Club Stadium
16:30
  • Léo 27', 44'
Report
Attendance: 333
Referee: Poon Chun Kit
Eastern v Southern
28 January 2024 (2024-01-28) SP39 Eastern 1–1 Southern Sham Shui Po Sports Ground
15:00
  • Almazan 81'
Report
Attendance: 448
Referee: Yu Kin Fung
HKFC v Sham Shui Po
28 January 2024 (2024-01-28) SP42 HKFC 1–3 Sham Shui Po Hong Kong Football Club Stadium
16:30
  • Léo 52'
Report
  • I. Marković 25' (pen.)
  • Dunga 45', 83'
Attendance: 160
Referee: Cheung Wai Lung
Southern v HK U23
31 January 2024 (2024-01-31) SP43 Southern 3–0 HK U23 Kowloon Bay Park
20:00
Report Attendance: 126
Referee: Tam Ping Wun
HK U23 v HKFC
7 February 2024 (2024-02-07) SP45 HK U23 0–1 HKFC Kowloon Bay Park
20:00 Report
Attendance: 83
Referee: Liu Kwok Man
Tai Po v Southern
28 February 2024 (2024-02-28) SP46 Tai Po 0–2 Southern Mong Kok Stadium
20:00 Report
Attendance: 423
Referee: Poon Chun Kit
HK U23 v Sham Shui Po
9 March 2024 (2024-03-09) SP48 HK U23 1–5 Sham Shui Po Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground
15:00 Report
Attendance: 79
Referee: Tang Hing Fu
Sham Shui Po v Eastern
23 March 2024 (2024-03-23) SP49 Sham Shui Po 0–5 Eastern Aberdeen Sports Ground
15:00 Report Attendance: 245
Referee: Cheung Wai Lung

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Kitchee 8 5 1 2 26 14 +12 16 Advance to Semi-finals
2 Rangers 8 4 3 1 22 18 +4 15
3 North District 8 4 2 2 15 12 +3 14
4 Resources Capital 8 1 2 5 10 24 −14 5[a]
5 Lee Man 8 1 2 5 12 17 −5 5[a]
Updated to match(es) played on 24 March 2024. Source: HKFA
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Goal difference; 5) Goals scored.
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Head-to-head points: Resources Capital 4, Lee Man 1.
Kitchee v Resources Capital
30 September 2023 (2023-09-30) SP01 Kitchee 6–2 Resources Capital Mong Kok Stadium
15:00
Report
  • Lui Cheuk Kan 62'
  • Ki Sze Ho 64'
Attendance: 602
Referee: Liu Kwok Man
Lee Man v North District
14 October 2023 (2023-10-14) SP02 Lee Man 1–1 North District Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground
15:00
  • Paulinho 22'
Report Attendance: 486
Referee: Tang Hing Fu
Kitchee v Rangers
14 October 2023 (2023-10-14) SP03 Kitchee 2–3 Rangers Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground
18:00
  • Mikael 44', 74'
Report
Attendance: 486
Referee: Wong Wai Lun
Lee Man v Kitchee
18 November 2023 (2023-11-18) SP07 Lee Man 1–4 Kitchee Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground
15:00
  • Gil 47'
Report
  • Juninho 12'
  • Cleiton 56'
  • Russell 60'
  • Jantscher 79'
Attendance: 638
Referee: Wong Wai Lun
Resources Capital v North District
19 November 2023 (2023-11-19) SP09 Resources Capital 1–5 North District Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground
15:00
  • Ho Sze Chit 3'
Report
Attendance: 275
Referee: Cheung Wai Lung
Lee Man v Rangers
16 December 2023 (2023-12-16) SP15 Lee Man 3–4 Rangers Kowloon Bay Park
15:00
  • Paulinho 38' (pen.), 85' (pen.)
  • Gil 54'
Report
Attendance: 317
Referee: Woo Chun Sing
Resources Capital v Lee Man
23 December 2023 (2023-12-23) SP16 Resources Capital 2–1 Lee Man Kowloon Bay Park
15:00
Report
Attendance: 207
Referee: Luk Kin Sun
Rangers v Kitchee
23 December 2023 (2023-12-23) SP17 Rangers 4–4 Kitchee Mong Kok Stadium
15:00
  • Leung Hoi Chun 13'
  • Ibrahim 26' (pen.)
  • Chiu Ching Yu 90+2'
  • Kanda 90+3'
Report
Attendance: 638
Referee: Liu Kwok Man
Rangers v Resources Capital
7 January 2024 (2024-01-07) SP24 Rangers 3–2 Resources Capital Kowloon Bay Park
15:00
Report
  • Lee Ching 5'
  • Chiu Wan Chun 29'
Attendance: 222
Referee: Cheung Wai Lung
North District v Lee Man
7 January 2024 (2024-01-07) SP25 North District 3–1 Lee Man North District Sports Ground
15:00
Report
  • Paulinho 24'
Attendance: 469
Referee: Tam Ping Wun
North District v Rangers
13 January 2024 (2024-01-13) SP28 North District 1–1 Rangers Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground
15:00 Report Attendance: 369
Referee: Yu Kin Fung
Resources Capital v Kitchee
13 January 2024 (2024-01-13) SP29 Resources Capital 0–5 Kitchee Kowloon Bay Park
15:00 Report
Attendance: 268
Referee: Luk Kin Sun
Rangers v Lee Man
20 January 2024 (2024-01-20) SP33 Rangers 0–4 Lee Man Aberdeen Sports Ground
15:00 Report
Attendance: 189
Referee: Liu Kwok Man
Kitchee v North District
20 January 2024 (2024-01-20) SP34 Kitchee 1–3 North District Kowloon Bay Park
15:00
  • Russell 42'
Report
  • Matheus 8'
  • Kendy 81', 90+3'
Attendance: 293
Referee: Tam Ping Wun
North District v Resources Capital
24 January 2024 (2024-01-24) SP38 North District 2–1 Resources Capital Kowloon Bay Park
20:00
  • Matheus 55', 75'
Report
  • Lee Yoon-kwon 65'
Attendance: 191
Referee: Wong Po Sing
Rangers v North District
28 January 2024 (2024-01-28) SP40 Rangers 5–0 North District Kowloon Bay Park
15:00
Report Attendance: 229
Referee: Tam Ping Wun
Lee Man v Resources Capital
28 January 2024 (2024-01-28) SP41 Lee Man 0–0 Resources Capital Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground
15:00 Report Attendance: 227
Referee: Law Bik Chi
North District v Kitchee
21 February 2024 (2024-02-21) SP44 North District 0–1 Kitchee Mong Kok Stadium
20:00 Report
  • Juninho 63'
Attendance: 423
Referee: Luk Kin Sun
Resources Capital v Rangers
9 March 2024 (2024-03-09) SP47 Resources Capital 2–2 Rangers Aberdeen Sports Ground
15:00
Report
Attendance: 109
Referee: Cheung Wai Lung
Kitchee v Lee Man
24 March 2024 (2024-03-24) SP50 Kitchee 3–1 Lee Man Mong Kok Stadium
15:00
Report Attendance: 1,015
Referee: Yu Kin Fung

Semi-finals

Kitchee v Tai Po
3 April 2024 (2024-04-03) SP51 Kitchee 4–3Tai PoMong Kok Stadium
20:00
Report
  • Lucas 6', 84'
  • Renner 45+7'
Attendance: 1,153
Referee: Wong Wai Lun
Southern v Rangers
10 April 2024 (2024-04-10) SP52Southern0–2 Rangers Mong Kok Stadium
20:00 Report
Attendance: 1,006
Referee: Luk Kin Sun

Final

Rangers v Kitchee
15 May 2024 (2024-05-15) SP53 Rangers 1–0KitcheeMong Kok Stadium
15:00 Ibrahim 40' Report Attendance: 3,769
Referee: Liu Kwok Man

Top scorers

As of 15 May 2024
Rank Player Club Goals[2]
1 Spain Noah Baffoe Eastern 7
Kenya Ismael Dunga Sham Shui Po
Brazil Mikael Kitchee
Ghana Nassam Ibrahim Rangers
5 Brazil Lucas Tai Po 6
6 Hong Kong Mahama Awal Southern 5
Brazil Léo HKFC
8 9 players 4

Awards

Best U-22 Player

Prize Team Winner
Best U-22 Player in Each Team[3] Eastern Hong Kong Ma Hei Wai
HKFC Hong Kong Lee Chun Yin
HK U23 Hong Kong Lee Lok Him
Kitchee Hong Kong Chan Shinichi
Lee Man Hong Kong Poon Sheung Hei
Rangers Hong Kong Chiu Ching Yu
Resources Capital Hong Kong Pong Cheuk Hei
Southern Hong Kong Ng Wai Him
Tai Po Hong Kong Wong Hin Sum
Sham Shui Po Hong Kong Chang Kwong Yin
Best of all U-22 Players Rangers Hong Kong Chiu Ching Yu

References

  1. ^ "馬會冠名贊助菁英盃 10支港超球會均獲獎金鼓勵". Football Weekly HK. 17 January 2023.
  2. ^ [1] HKFA 30 September 2023
  3. ^ 袁志浩 (2024-05-06). "菁英盃︱盧均宜林嘉緯將演告別戰 勸觀眾入場:看我們的最後一次". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 2024-05-07.
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