2023–24 Hong Kong Sapling Cup

2023–24 JC Sapling Cup
Tournament details
Country	Hong Kong
Dates	30 September 2023 – 15 May 2024
Teams	11
Defending champions	Southern
Final positions
Champions	Rangers
Runner-up	Kitchee
Tournament statistics
Matches played	53
Goals scored	209 (3.94 per match)
Attendance	21,288 (402 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)	Noah Baffoe; Ismael Dunga; Mikael; Nassam Ibrahim; (7 goals each)
	← 2022–23 2024–25 →; All statistics correct as of 15 May 2024.

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	Advance to Semi-finals
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.

15 October 2023 (2023-10-15) SP04	Tai Po	2–1	HKFC	Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground
15:00	Kayron 38' Chung Wai Keung 52'	Report	Johns 36'	Attendance: 388 Referee: Yu Kin Fung

15 October 2023 (2023-10-15) SP05	Southern	2–2	Eastern	Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground
18:00	Sasaki 5' Kawase 59'	Report	Baffoe 26' Ma Hei Wai 29'	Attendance: 388 Referee: Ho Wai Sing

15 November 2023 (2023-11-15) SP06	HKFC	2–0	Tai Po	Kowloon Bay Park
20:30	Maciel 34' Johns 90+1'	Report		Attendance: 166 Referee: Yu Kin Fung

19 November 2023 (2023-11-19) SP08	Sham Shui Po	0–4	Southern	Kowloon Bay Park
15:00		Report	Pereira 11' (pen.), 49', 77' (pen.) Kawase 21'	Attendance: 273 Referee: Yu Kin Fung

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

26 November 2023 (2023-11-26) SP11	Eastern	4–1	HKFC	Sham Shui Po Sports Ground
15:00	Ma Hei Wai 37', 66' Marcos 68' Baffoe 76'	Report	Léo 5'	Attendance: 254 Referee: Luk Kin Sun

3 December 2023 (2023-12-03) SP12	Sham Shui Po	0–3	Tai Po	Kowloon Bay Park
15:00		Report	Chan Siu Kwan 14' Renner 65' Marcão 71'	Attendance: 161 Referee: Ho Wai Sing

3 December 2023 (2023-12-03) SP13	Eastern	2–2	HK U23	Mong Kok Stadium
18:00	Ng Yu Hei 41' Wong Ho Chun 59'	Report	Lee Lok Him 79' Ho Ka Chi 83'	Attendance: 272 Referee: Poon Chun Kit

6 December 2023 (2023-12-06) SP14	Tai Po	2–1	Eastern	Kowloon Bay Park
20:30	Marcão 17' Luizinho 24'	Report	Wong Ho Yin 71'	Attendance: 261 Referee: Wong Po Sing

24 December 2023 (2023-12-24) SP18	Sham Shui Po	4–4	HKFC	Hong Kong Football Club Stadium
15:00	Chang Kwong Yin 25' Dunga 33', 50' Song Ju-ho 37'	Report	Thiago 19' (pen.), 72' Paulinho 52' Ngue 88' (pen.)	Attendance: 192 Referee: Tang Hing Fu

25 December 2023 (2023-12-25) SP19	Eastern	2–2	Tai Po	Kowloon Bay Park
15:00	Almazan 62' Wong Ho Yin 86'	Report	Kayron 63' Renner 90+2'	Attendance: 442 Referee: Law Bik Chi

30 December 2023 (2023-12-30) SP20	Sham Shui Po	0–5	HK U23	Kowloon Bay Park
15:00		Report	Tang In Chim 25', 61' Lo Kam Wang 47' Lam Chi Fung 64' Lam Hok Hei 90+2'	Attendance: 203 Referee: Wong Po Sing

31 December 2023 (2023-12-31) SP21	Southern	2–2	HKFC	Hong Kong Football Club Stadium
15:00	Kessi 20' (pen.) Merkies 71'	Report	Henrique 57' Lau Hok Ming 65'	Attendance: 358 Referee: Cheung Wai Lung

6 January 2024 (2024-01-06) SP22	Southern	3–1	Tai Po	Aberdeen Sports Ground
15:00	Jackson 11' Sasaki 56' Chan Yun Tung 73'	Report	Cividini 63'	Attendance: 351 Referee: Luk Kin Sun

6 January 2024 (2024-01-06) SP23	Eastern	3–0	Sham Shui Po	Kowloon Bay Park
15:00	Baffoe 6' Jones 37' Narh 79' (o.g.)	Report		Attendance: 190 Referee: Tang Hing Fu

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	Lau Ka Kiu 8'	Attendance: 256 Referee: Woo Chun Sing

13 January 2024 (2024-01-13) SP27	Southern	3–1	Sham Shui Po	Aberdeen Sports Ground
15:00	Jackson 6' Chen Ngo Hin 30' Awal 53'	Report	Dunga 74'	Attendance: 217 Referee: Wong Po Sing

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

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	Baffoe 11', 90+2' Ma Hei Wai 24'	Attendance: 353 Referee: Law Bik Chi

17 January 2024 (2024-01-17) SP32	HK U23	1–1	Southern	Kowloon Bay Park
20:30	Lam Chi Fung 84'	Report	Sasaki 15'	Attendance: 191 Referee: Wong Wai Lun

21 January 2024 (2024-01-21) SP35	Tai Po	4–2	Sham Shui Po	Tai Po Sports Ground
15:00	Lau Ka Shing 1' (o.g.) Lucas 18', 72' Biteco 30'	Report	Chang Kwong Yin 51' Dunga 53'	Attendance: 330 Referee: Luk Kin Sun

21 January 2024 (2024-01-21) SP36	HK U23	1–2	Eastern	Kowloon Bay Park
15:00	Ho Ka Chi 36'	Report	Gondra 26' Baffoe 86'	Attendance: 176 Referee: Chow Hon Fai

21 January 2024 (2024-01-21) SP37	HKFC	2–4	Southern	Hong Kong Football Club Stadium
16:30	Léo 27', 44'	Report	Awal 58', 90+6' Chan Hoi Pak 88' Merkies 89'	Attendance: 333 Referee: Poon Chun Kit

28 January 2024 (2024-01-28) SP39	Eastern	1–1	Southern	Sham Shui Po Sports Ground
15:00	Almazan 81'	Report	Awal 45+1'	Attendance: 448 Referee: Yu Kin Fung

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

31 January 2024 (2024-01-31) SP43	Southern	3–0	HK U23	Kowloon Bay Park
20:00	Awal 20' Chan Yun Tung 81' Jackson 89'	Report		Attendance: 126 Referee: Tam Ping Wun

7 February 2024 (2024-02-07) SP45	HK U23	0–1	HKFC	Kowloon Bay Park
20:00		Report	Johns 71'	Attendance: 83 Referee: Liu Kwok Man

28 February 2024 (2024-02-28) SP46	Tai Po	0–2	Southern	Mong Kok Stadium
20:00		Report	Pereira 75' (pen.) Ichikawa 81'	Attendance: 423 Referee: Poon Chun Kit

9 March 2024 (2024-03-09) SP48	HK U23	1–5	Sham Shui Po	Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground
15:00	Ng Man Hei 43'	Report	Wellingsson 12', 45', 58', 68' Dunga 76'	Attendance: 79 Referee: Tang Hing Fu

23 March 2024 (2024-03-23) SP49	Sham Shui Po	0–5	Eastern	Aberdeen Sports Ground
15:00		Report	Leung Kwun Chung 30' Braunshtain 32' Baffoe 45' Bosley Yu 68', 86'	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	Advance to Semi-finals
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:

^ ^a ^b Head-to-head points: Resources Capital 4, Lee Man 1.

30 September 2023 (2023-09-30) SP01	Kitchee	6–2	Resources Capital	Mong Kok Stadium
15:00	Juninho 8' Mikael 31', 40' (pen.), 41' Tan Chun Lok 45+3' Jantscher 87'	Report	Lui Cheuk Kan 62' Ki Sze Ho 64'	Attendance: 602 Referee: Liu Kwok Man

14 October 2023 (2023-10-14) SP02	Lee Man	1–1	North District	Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground
15:00	Paulinho 22'	Report	Lo Kong Wai 70'	Attendance: 486 Referee: Tang Hing Fu

14 October 2023 (2023-10-14) SP03	Kitchee	2–3	Rangers	Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground
18:00	Mikael 44', 74'	Report	Lau Chi Lok 12' Kim Min-kyu 57' (pen.) Kanda 79'	Attendance: 486 Referee: Wong Wai Lun

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

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	Neném 15' Matheus 22' (pen.) Chan Ho Ka 24' Wong Wai Kwok 61' Lo Kong Wai 90'	Attendance: 275 Referee: Cheung Wai Lung

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	Kanda 36' Loong Tsz Hin 39' Ibrahim 57' Fernando 63'	Attendance: 317 Referee: Woo Chun Sing

23 December 2023 (2023-12-23) SP16	Resources Capital	2–1	Lee Man	Kowloon Bay Park
15:00	Ho Sze Chit 28' Yuen Sai Kit 90+1'	Report	Acosta 83'	Attendance: 207 Referee: Luk Kin Sun

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	Yuen Chun Him 10', 70' Cheng Chin Lung 49' Yueng Cheuk Kwan 83'	Attendance: 638 Referee: Liu Kwok Man

7 January 2024 (2024-01-07) SP24	Rangers	3–2	Resources Capital	Kowloon Bay Park
15:00	Lau Chi Lok 45' Ibrahim 72', 79'	Report	Lee Ching 5' Chiu Wan Chun 29'	Attendance: 222 Referee: Cheung Wai Lung

7 January 2024 (2024-01-07) SP25	North District	3–1	Lee Man	North District Sports Ground
15:00	Kendy 65' Jordan Lam 78', 90+4'	Report	Paulinho 24'	Attendance: 469 Referee: Tam Ping Wun

13 January 2024 (2024-01-13) SP28	North District	1–1	Rangers	Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground
15:00	Wong Wai Kwok 54'	Report	Au Yeung Yiu Chung 80'	Attendance: 369 Referee: Yu Kin Fung

13 January 2024 (2024-01-13) SP29	Resources Capital	0–5	Kitchee	Kowloon Bay Park
15:00		Report	Russell 23' Jantscher 35', 43' Temirov 88' Mikael 90+3'	Attendance: 268 Referee: Luk Kin Sun

20 January 2024 (2024-01-20) SP33	Rangers	0–4	Lee Man	Aberdeen Sports Ground
15:00		Report	Diego 1', 63' Gil 30' Paulissen 68'	Attendance: 189 Referee: Liu Kwok Man

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

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

28 January 2024 (2024-01-28) SP40	Rangers	5–0	North District	Kowloon Bay Park
15:00	Chiu Ching Yu 32', 77' Ibrahim 36' Kanda 61' Lau Chi Lok 84'	Report		Attendance: 229 Referee: Tam Ping Wun

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

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

9 March 2024 (2024-03-09) SP47	Resources Capital	2–2	Rangers	Aberdeen Sports Ground
15:00	Tsui King Yau 2' Lam Lok Yin 47'	Report	Kamigata 82' Ibrahim 86'	Attendance: 109 Referee: Cheung Wai Lung

24 March 2024 (2024-03-24) SP50	Kitchee	3–1	Lee Man	Mong Kok Stadium
15:00	Temirov 3' Cleiton 45+1' Sartori 49'	Report	Cheng Siu Kwan 90'	Attendance: 1,015 Referee: Yu Kin Fung

Semi-finals

3 April 2024 (2024-04-03) SP51	Kitchee	4–3	Tai Po	Mong Kok Stadium
20:00	Cheng Chin Lung 33' Mikael 45+2' (pen.) Juninho 61' Tan Chun Lok 90+8'	Report	Lucas 6', 84' Renner 45+7'	Attendance: 1,153 Referee: Wong Wai Lun

10 April 2024 (2024-04-10) SP52	Southern	0–2	Rangers	Mong Kok Stadium
20:00		Report	Kamigata 42' Chan Yiu Cho 90+7'	Attendance: 1,006 Referee: Luk Kin Sun

Final

15 May 2024 (2024-05-15) SP53	Rangers	1–0	Kitchee	Mong 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	Noah Baffoe	Eastern	7
	Ismael Dunga	Sham Shui Po
	Mikael	Kitchee
	Nassam Ibrahim	Rangers
5	Lucas	Tai Po	6
6	Mahama Awal	Southern	5
6	Léo	HKFC	5
8	9 players		4

Awards

Best U-22 Player

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

References

^ "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.
^ [1] HKFA 30 September 2023
^ 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.

[table_hth_RES0.028531275237227-2] Head-to-head points: Resources Capital 4, Lee Man 1.

[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.

[topscorer-3] [1] HKFA 30 September 2023

[4] 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.

[1]

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[2]

[3]