Kitchee’s new women’s team aim to join male counterparts in AFC Champions League
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Hong Kong heavyweights Kitchee have set up a semi-professional women’s squad ahead of the new season with an target of joining their male counterparts to appear in the AFC Champions League as the new season kicks off on Saturday.
Cheung Po-chun, previously with South China and Tai Po in the top-tier division, joined the ambitious Kitchee from Pegasus this summer as their new coach.
“Kitchee have taken the first step by setting up a semi-professional team and the target of course is winning the championship and taking the women’s team to the AFC Champions League as our men’s side has achieved,” said the new coach. “While we want to win trophies – as many as possible, there is another important mission of helping develop women’s football in Hong Kong, which has plenty of room for improvement. Our target will also be to help more young players come through the ranks.”
Cheung said the women’s AFC Champions League was introduced by the regional governing body two years ago and Kitchee were in the process of applying for a club license.
“The Hong Kong Football Association has asked if any women’s club is interested in the regional club competition and we definitely are,” Cheung said. “We are now preparing all the paperwork for the process and although we are not sure if the tournament can go ahead next year due to the pandemic, we have to set the target and get everything ready.”
