2008–09 Hong Kong First Division League

Template:Use Hong Kong English Template:Short description The 2008–09 Hong Kong First Division League season, known as Coolpoint Ventilation First Division (Template:Zh) for sponsorship reasons, was the 97th since its establishment in 1908. It began on 6 September 2008 and ended on 10 May 2009. The unveiling match was contested by the defending champions South China, and the runners-up of last season Citizen. They made a 1–1 draw, scored by Sandro of Citizen and Detinho of South China, China.

Three new teams joined the league as competition members, including Fourway, TSW Pegasus and Xiangxue Eisiti. The league consisted of 13 teams, the most since the 1979–80 season.

League team changes

Teams promoted from 2007–08 Hong Kong Second Division League

• Champions: Mutual

Teams relegated to 2008–09 Hong Kong Second Division League

• Bulova Rangers (renamed as Rangers)

New teams in Hong Kong football league system

• Fourway
• TSW Pegasus
• Xiangxue Eisiti (from mainland China)

Teams changed the name

• NT Realty Wofoo Tai Po (named as Wofoo Tai Po before)
• Sheffield United (named as Lanwa Redbull before, from mainland China)
• Tuen Mun Progoal (named as Workable before)

Results

All times are Hong Kong Time (UTC+8).

Round 5

• South China is awarded a 3 – 0 win against TSW Pegasus due to TSW Pegasus used more than the allowed maximum of 6 foreign players at a time in the match.

Season statistics

Scoring

• First goal of the season: Sandro for Citizen against South China (6 September 2008).
• First own goal of the season: Ma Ka Ki (Citizen) for Fourway (18 October 2008).
• Most goals scored by one player in a match: 4 goals – Detinho (South China) against Tuen Mun Progoal, File:Soccerball shade.svg 50', File:Soccerball shade.svg 60', File:Soccerball shade.svg 62', File:Soccerball shade.svg 69' (20 September 2008) and against Convoy Sun Hei, File:Soccerball shade.svg 4', File:Soccerball shade.svg 12', File:Soccerball shade.svg 61', File:Soccerball shade.svg 73' (14 December 2008).
• Widest winning margin: 9 goals – Tuen Mun Progoal 0–9 South China (20 September 2008).
• Most goals in a match: 9 goals
• Most goals in one half
• Most goals in one half by a single team

Discipline

• First yellow card of the season
• First red card of the season
• Most yellow cards in a single match
• Most red cards in a single match

Miscellaneous

• Most consecutive games without conceding a goal

Top scorers

Rank	Scorer	Club	Goals
1	Detinho	South China	18
	Giovane	Convoy Sun Hei	18
3	Sandro	Citizen	15
4	Chan Siu Ki	South China	12
	Ling Cong	Happy Valley	12
	Paul Ngue	Kitchee	12
7	Carlos Cáceres	Kitchee	11
8	Paulo	Fourway	10
9	Hao Shuang	Sheffield United	9
	Chao Pengfei	Happy Valley	9
	Caleb Ekwenugo	Fourway / NT Realty Wofoo Tai Po	9
	Christian Annan	NT Realty Wofoo Tai Po	9
	Godfred Karikari	Happy Valley	9

Only players scored ≥9 is shown.

Stadia

Mong Kok Stadium and Hong Kong Stadium are the primary venue for the majority of the games. Some other stadiums also will be used, including Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground, Tai Po Sports Ground and Yuen Long Stadium.

NT Realty Wofoo Tai Po has successfully applied to use Tai Po Sports Ground for their 12 home games. TSW Pegasus also applied to use Yuen Long Stadium as their home ground, but the stadium's facilities and grass turf conditions could not be modified in time for this season. However, South China AA agreed to play away at Yuen Long Stadium on 5 October 2008. HKFA chairman Leung Hung Tak later claimed that three home games will be played at Yuen Long Stadium for TSW Pegasus this season.

Xiangxue Eisiti had suggested using a stadium in Shenzhen for their home games. But due to the poor quality of the facility, the HKFA deemed it unsuitable for the First Division. Its home games will now be staged either at Mong Kok Stadium or Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground instead.

Teams	Number of times used as home stadium
	HKS	MKS	SSWSG	TPSG	YLS
Citizen	1	10	1
Convoy Sun Hei		12
Eastern		12
Fourway		12
Happy Valley		12
Kitchee		11	1
Mutual		12
NT Realty Wofoo Tai Po		3		9
Sheffield United	1	11
South China	6	6
TSW Pegasus	1	8			3
Tuen Mun Progoal	1	11
Xiangxue Eisiti		11	1
Total	10	131	3	9	3

See also

• 2008–09 Hong Kong Senior Challenge Shield
• 2008–09 Hong Kong League Cup
• 2008–09 Hong Kong FA Cup
• 2009 AFC Cup

External links

• Fixtures