On Saturday I attended the Premier League match between North District and Kowloon City at North District Sports Ground. The hosts earned a comeback victory, 2–1. Goals and highlights are available in the onTV sports recap.

In the two months since the previous entry, North District have played several matches. On December 4, the Sheung Shui side drew 1–1 with Tai Po. The match took place a week after the horrific fire in Tai Po that claimed, according to the latest figures, 168 lives. I attended that game, but have never been in the right mood to write about it. North District conceded in the second half and equalised in the very first attack after the restart. A week later, North District lost at home to Kitchee, 1–2. I did not attend that match because I was teaching that day at the Moscow School. On December 21, North District also beat Southern District 3–1 in the FA Cup. I missed that match for no particularly good reason.

Before this match, North District were two points ahead of Kowloon City, with two games in hand. In the autumn, the northerners had snatched a draw in Sham Shui Po, which I wrote about in the first installment of the Northern Suffering. That match was marred by a serious injury to Kowloon City midfielder Min-gyu Park, whose leg was broken by North District centre-back Carlos Paez.

The opening phase belonged to the visitors. As early as the 5th minute, Kowloon opened the scoring. Khan and Kong Wai Lo failed to track Wan Chun Chiu’s run down the right flank; from there he delivered a cross into the box, where Kayron won an aerial duel against Ho Yin Wong and scored.

After conceding, the Sheung Shui took control of the game but were unable to turn their dominance in possession into clear chances. Kowloon defended with a back five and did not attempt to press high. North District mostly attacked down the right, but neither long switches nor short combinations found teammates in the final third.

Kowloon threatened on the counter. Twice, North District goalkeeper Hoi Man Chung saved his team after dangerous shots on target. Towards the end of the first half, Chung twice looked uncertain coming off his line, and only the attackers’ lack of composure prevented the visitors from extending their lead. In the second incident, Chung picked up an injury and remained on the turf before being carried off on a stretcher.

The pattern of the game did not change after the break: Kowloon conceded both possession and territory. In the 57th minute, North District finally equalised. Samuel Granada reacted quickest amid the chaos at the near post following a corner kick.

The equaliser did not energise the visitors. North District continued to put pressure on the right side of Kowloon’s defence, but their positional attacks bogged down against the organised back line.

All the more telling, then, that the winning goal came from moving the ball from the flank into the centre, rather than from the centre out wide. After a Kowloon goal kick, Vinicius Soares contested an aerial duel on the flank near midfield; the ball dropped to Granada, who one-touched it from the left half-space into the right, to Abadia. Abadia controlled the ball without losing speed, rounded the goalkeeper, and finished into an empty net.

In stoppage time, North District were reduced to ten men. Hiu Chung Lau unsportingly threw away the ball after it had gone out for a throw-in and received a booking, but failed to calm down and became involved in the ensuing baragoz, for which he immediately picked up a second yellow card and was sent off. Shortly after this burst of passions, the referee blew the final whistle and the match ended.

The weather was perfect. I absorbed three beers, and then another one after the game.