Shield.

The Senior Shield Final is always a very important day in the local football calendar, but it hasn’t been a happy day for me for 3 years in a row.

In 2011, South China led 3-0 at half time, only for Citizen to come back to draw 3-3.  The match went to penalties, and Citizen came away with the win.

In 2012, South China managed to pull back from going behind to Sun Hei, only to lose out again on penalties.

In 2013, South China was knocked out in the semi-final, losing to Citizen again.  I didn’t bother to go to the stadium to watch the final, I went barbecue with my friends instead.

So yesterday’s final was something of a vindication for me.  It wasn’t an easy day, and I was feeling rather uneasy.  The opponent was Sun Pegasus, which was enjoying its season so far, but seemed to have been going through a bit of a blip in recent weeks.  As for South China, let’s just say that the season hasn’t been too spectacular for the lads in red.  They were not playing too badly, but I can’t say that they have been playing well too.  Of course, results are the only thing that mattered, and if someone were to ask me to be second in the table with a cup final looming at this stage of the season, I would have taken it.

The match in itself was quite a thrilling one, pretty much end-to-end stuff, if you ask me.  My friends in the cheers squad were feeling optimistic, but with me being always a pessimist, I was always preparing for the worst.  A counter attack down the right flank saw Sun Pegasus scoring the first goal through Jaimes McKee.  The goal was spectacular – a mid-air volley at that – though it does make me wonder why McKee can’t score simpler goals like one-on-ones.  Ultimately it was his failure to convert an one-on-one chance in the second half that proved pivotal in South China’s comeback.  The reds scored 2 within 5 minutes – both by new recruits who were playing donning the famous red shirt for the first time – and the final was won.  Both goals oozed of class, the first one from a neat build-up, and the second was utterly outrageous – a powerful lob-shot by Andrew Barisic from all of 30 yards.  Our section in the stand broke into raptures and I could still feel the sting inside me right now.  South China held on for the win, and recapturing the Shield was just great, especially because of the way that the finals were lost in 2011 and 2012.

Now for the league… it’s going to be hard, but Kitchee isn’t invincible.  All it takes are 2 bad games, and we will be straight back into it.  And of course, the pleasant disruption known as the AFC Champions League.  I’m sure even the most optimistic South China fan isn’t going to predict advancement into the group stages, but it’s good to dream.