The 2012–13 Hong Kong First Division League, also known as 2012–13 Red MR Hong Kong First Division League for sponsorship reasons, was the 101st since its establishment.
Kitchee were the defending champions, won their 5th Hong Kong title in the previous season. The season featured 8 teams from the 2011–12 Hong Kong First Division League and two new teams promoted from 2011–12 Hong Kong Second Division League: Kam Fung, which then renamed as Biu Chun Rangers, and Southern District who replace relegated Sham Shui Po and Hong Kong Sapling.
Teams A total of 10 teams contested the league, including eight sides from the 2011–12 season and two promoted from the 2011–12 Hong Kong Second Division League.
Stadia and locations Note: Table lists in alphabetical order. TeamStadiumLocationCapacityBiu Chun Rangers1Sham Shui Po Sports GroundSham Shui Po2,194CitizenMong Kok StadiumMong Kok6,680 KitcheeTseung Kwan O Sports GroundTseung Kwan O3,5002South ChinaHong Kong StadiumSo Kon Po40,000SouthernAberdeen Sports Ground3Aberdeen4,0004Sunray Cave JC Sun HeiMong Kok StadiumMong Kok6,680Sun Pegasus5Yuen Long StadiumYuen Long4,932Tuen MunTuen Mun Tang Shiu Kin Sports GroundTuen Mun2,200Wofoo Tai PoTai Po Sports GroundTai Po3,000Yokohama FC Hong Kong6Siu Sai Wan Sports GroundSiu Sai Wan12,000
1 Renamed Biu Chun Rangers, previously known as Kam Fung. 2 The capacity of Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground can be increased to 5,000 if the temporary stand is opened. 3 After successfully gaining the right to play in the 2012–13 Hong Kong First Division League on 8 April 2012, Southern plan to continue using Aberdeen Sports Ground as their home ground in the First Division League.南區爭取主場留守香港仔 Ta Kung Pao. 9 April 2012. 4 The capacity of Aberdeen Sports Ground is originally 9,000, but only the 4,000-seated main stand is opened for football match. 5 Renamed as Sun Pegasus, previously known as TSW Pegasus. 6 Renamed as Yokohama FC Hong Kong, previously known as Biu Chun Rangers.
Personnel and kits Team Chairman Head coach Captain Kitmaker Shirt sponsorBiu Chun Rangers Mok Yiu Keung Chan Hung Ping Wong Chin HungXtepodmCitizen Pui Kwan Kay Chu Kwok Kuen Festus BaiseJakoRasonicKitchee Ken Ng Josep Gombau Chu Siu KeiNikeCanonSouth China Steven Lo Liu Chun Fai Lee Chi HoAdidasPanasonic CorporationSouthern Wong Ling Sun Fung Hoi Man Wisdom Fofo AgboNikeMotion MediaSunray Cave JC Sun Hei Chow Man Leung Chan Fat Chi Roberto OrlandoAdidasSunray CaveSun Pegasus Cheng Ting Kong Chan Chi Hong Jaimes McKeeAdidasPlayStationTuen Mun Lau Wong Fat Yan Lik Kin Li HaiqiangAdidasHong Kong Motor InspectionWofoo Tai Po Cheung Hok Ming Cheung Po Chun Chan Yuk ChiAdidasLee & Man PaperYokohama FC Hong Kong Hiroshi Onodera Lee Chi Kin Tsuyoshi YoshitakeNikeLEOC
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment South China Ján Kocian Sacked 19 May 2012 Pre-season Liu Chun Fai 9 July 2012 Sunray Cave JC Sun Hei José Ricardo Rambo End of Contract 23 May 2012 Tim Bredbury 1 June 2012 Yokohama FC HK Tim Bredbury Signed by Sunray Cave JC Sun Hei 1 June 2012 Lee Chi Kin Sun Pegasus Chan Hiu Ming Sacked 14 June 2012 Chan Ho Yin 10 July 2012 Rangers Chan Chi Kwong Goran Paulić Sun Pegasus Chan Ho Yin Sacked 9 October 2012 6th Chan Chi Hong Sunray Cave JC Sun Hei Tim Bredbury Contract terminated 23 October 2012 9th Chiu Chung Man
Foreign players The number of foreign players was restricted to six per team.
Club Visa 1 Visa 2 Visa 3 Visa 4 Visa 5 Visa 6 Hong Kong Rangers Giovane Silva Miroslav Saric Sashi Chalwe Juninho Luciano Silva Citizen Detinho Hélio Paulinho Gustavo Silva Sandro Yuto Nakamura Kitchee Dani Cancela Pablo Couñago Yago González Fernando Recio Jordi Tarrés Zesh Rehman South China Alessandro Celin Dhiego Martins Joel Bertoti Padilha Itaparica Ticão Victor Chou Southern Paul Ngue Jonathan Carril Rubén López Lander Panera Dieguito Sunray Cave JC Sun Hei Roberto Júnior Jean-Jacques Kilama Mamadou Barry José María Yrel Bouet Su Yang Sun Pegasus Vladimir Karalić Paulo Cesar Eugene Mbome Igor Miović Josip Škorić Kim Dong-Ryeol Tuen Mun Beto Daniel Diego Eli Mauricio Wofoo Tai Po Clayton Naves Aender Alex Akande Caleb Ekwegwo Yokohama FC Hong Kong Tsuyoshi Yoshitake Taiki Murai Čedomir Mijanović Mirko Teodorović N/A Kenji Fukuda
League table
Positions by round
Results table
Fixtures and results
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10
Round 11
Round 12
Round 13
Round 14
Round 15
Round 16
Round 17
Round 18
Remarks: 1 The capacity of Aberdeen Sports Ground is originally 9,000, but only the 4,000-seated main stand is opened for football match. 2 Yokohama FC Hong Kong's home matches against Kitchee and South China are played at Mong Kok Stadium instead of their usual home ground Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground. 3 Biu Chun Rangers's home matches against South China and Kitchee are played at Mong Kok Stadium instead of their usual home ground Sham Shui Po Sports Ground. 4 South China's home matches against Biu Chun Rangers will be played at Mong Kok Stadium instead of their usual home ground Hong Kong Stadium. 5 The match was abandoned after 28 minutes due to adverse weather and bad pitch conditions. 6 Since the 3,500-seated main stand was all full, the 1,500 temporary stand was opened and therefore the capacity of Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground was 5,000 in the home match against South China.
Season play-offs
The play-off semi-finals were played in one match each, contested by the teams who finished in 2nd and 3rd in the 2012–13 Hong Kong First Division League table, the champions of Senior Challenge Shield and the winners of FA Cup. The winners of the semi-finals went through to the finals, with the winner of the final gaining 2014 AFC Cup participation.
Season statistics
Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Jaimes McKeeSun Pegasus162 Alex Tayo AkandeWofoo Tai Po133 Giovane SilvaBiu Chun Rangers11 ItaparicaSouth China5 Tsuyoshi YoshitakeYokohama FC HK96 Jonathan CarrilKitcheeSouthern87 Yuto NakamuraCitizen7 Jordi TarrésKitchee Pablo Couñago Mamadou BarrySunray Cave JC Sun Hei Daniel Goulart QuevedoTuen Mun Christian AnnanWofoo Tai Po
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Wofoo Tai Po Biu Chun Rangers 4–1 Detinho Citizen Wofoo Tai Po 7–3 Yuto Nakamura Citizen Tuen Mun 5–0 Jaimes McKee5 Sun Pegasus Biu Chun Rangers 8–2
5 Player scored 5 goals in the match.
Scoring First goal of the season: Ng Wai Chiu for Sun Pegasus against Wofoo Tai Po (31 August 2012) Fastest goal of the season: 0 minute and 50 seconds, Ng Wai Chiu for Sun Pegasus against Wofoo Tai Po (31 August 2012) Widest winning margin: 6 goals Biu Chun Rangers 2–8 Sun Pegasus (Week 18, 4 May 2013) Highest scoring game: 10 goals Citizen 7–3 Wofoo Tai Po (Week 8, 11 November 2012) Biu Chun Rangers 2–8 Sun Pegasus (Week 18, 4 May 2013)
Discipline Most yellow cards (player): 7 Eugene Mbome (Sun Pegasus) Mauricio Correa Da Luz (Tuen Mun) Most yellow cards in a match (club): 6 South China (Week 4, South China 1–0 Kitchee) Most yellow cards in total (club): 46 Sun Pegasus Most red cards in a match (club): 2 Sunray Cave JC Sun Hei (Week 4, Sunray Cave JC Sun Hei 2–2 Biu Chun Rangers) Yokohama FC Hong Kong (Week 5, Yokohama FC Hong Kong 1–4 Kitchee) Most red cards in total (club): 5 Yokohama FC Hong Kong
Clean Sheets Most clean sheets: 5 South China Citizen Fewest clean sheets: 0 Biu Chun Rangers Wofoo Tai Po
Awards
Monthly awards The monthly awards are organised by the Hong Kong Sports Press Association. 20 journalists who specialise in football in Hong Kong will vote their best player of the month. Player with the highest number of votes wins the award.
YearMonthWinnerClubSource2012September Lee Chi HoSouth ChinaOctober DetinhoCitizenNovember DetinhoCitizenDecember Lee Wai LimSouth China2013January Au Yeung Yiu ChungSouth ChinaFebruary Christian AnnanWofoo Tai PoMarch Zhang ChunhuiSunray Cave JC Sun HeiApril Li HaiqiangTuen MunMay Jordi TarrésKitchee
References