2012–13 Hong Kong First Division League


The 2012–13 Hong Kong First Division League, also known as 2012–13 Red MR Hong Kong First Division League for sponsorship reasons, was the 101st since its establishment.
Kitchee were the defending champions, won their 5th Hong Kong title in the previous season. The season featured 8 teams from the 2011–12 Hong Kong First Division League and two new teams promoted from 2011–12 Hong Kong Second Division League: Kam Fung, which then renamed as Biu Chun Rangers, and Southern District who replace relegated Sham Shui Po and Hong Kong Sapling.

Teams

A total of 10 teams contested the league, including eight sides from the 2011–12 season and two promoted from the 2011–12 Hong Kong Second Division League.

Stadia and locations

Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
TeamStadiumLocationCapacity
Biu Chun Rangers1Sham Shui Po Sports GroundSham Shui Po2,194
CitizenMong Kok StadiumMong Kok6,680
KitcheeTseung Kwan O Sports GroundTseung Kwan O3,5002
South ChinaHong Kong StadiumSo Kon Po40,000
SouthernAberdeen Sports Ground3Aberdeen4,0004
Sunray Cave JC Sun HeiMong Kok StadiumMong Kok6,680
Sun Pegasus5Yuen Long StadiumYuen Long4,932
Tuen MunTuen Mun Tang Shiu Kin Sports GroundTuen Mun2,200
Wofoo Tai PoTai Po Sports GroundTai Po3,000
Yokohama FC Hong Kong6Siu Sai Wan Sports GroundSiu Sai Wan12,000

1 Renamed Biu Chun Rangers, previously known as Kam Fung.
2 The capacity of Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground can be increased to 5,000 if the temporary stand is opened.
3 After successfully gaining the right to play in the 2012–13 Hong Kong First Division League on 8 April 2012, Southern plan to continue using Aberdeen Sports Ground as their home ground in the First Division League.
4 The capacity of Aberdeen Sports Ground is originally 9,000, but only the 4,000-seated main stand is opened for football match.
5 Renamed as Sun Pegasus, previously known as TSW Pegasus.
6 Renamed as Yokohama FC Hong Kong, previously known as Biu Chun Rangers.

Personnel and kits

Managerial changes

Foreign players

The number of foreign players was restricted to six per team.
ClubVisa 1Visa 2Visa 3Visa 4Visa 5Visa 6
Hong Kong Rangers Giovane Silva Miroslav Saric Sashi Chalwe Juninho Luciano Silva
Citizen Detinho Hélio Paulinho Gustavo Silva Sandro Yuto Nakamura
Kitchee Dani Cancela Pablo Couñago Yago González Fernando Recio Jordi Tarrés Zesh Rehman
South China Alessandro Celin Dhiego Martins Joel Bertoti Padilha Itaparica Ticão Victor Chou
Southern Paul Ngue Jonathan Carril Rubén López Lander Panera Dieguito
Sunray Cave JC Sun Hei Roberto Júnior Jean-Jacques Kilama Mamadou Barry José María Yrel Bouet Su Yang
Sun Pegasus Vladimir Karalić Paulo Cesar Eugene Mbome Igor Miović Josip Škorić Kim Dong-Ryeol
Tuen Mun Beto Daniel Diego Eli Mauricio
Wofoo Tai Po Clayton Naves Aender Alex Akande Caleb Ekwegwo
Yokohama FC Hong Kong Tsuyoshi Yoshitake Taiki Murai Čedomir Mijanović Mirko Teodorović N/A Kenji Fukuda

League table

Positions by round

Results table

Fixtures and results

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Round 8

Round 9

Round 10

Round 11

Round 12

Round 13

Round 14

Round 15

Round 16

Round 17

Round 18

Remarks:
1 The capacity of Aberdeen Sports Ground is originally 9,000, but only the 4,000-seated main stand is opened for football match.
2 Yokohama FC Hong Kong's home matches against Kitchee and South China are played at Mong Kok Stadium instead of their usual home ground Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground.
3 Biu Chun Rangers's home matches against South China and Kitchee are played at Mong Kok Stadium instead of their usual home ground Sham Shui Po Sports Ground.
4 South China's home matches against Biu Chun Rangers will be played at Mong Kok Stadium instead of their usual home ground Hong Kong Stadium.
5 The match was abandoned after 28 minutes due to adverse weather and bad pitch conditions.
6 Since the 3,500-seated main stand was all full, the 1,500 temporary stand was opened and therefore the capacity of Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground was 5,000 in the home match against South China.

Season Play-offs

The play-off semi-finals were played in one match each, contested by the teams who finished in 2nd and 3rd in the 2012–13 Hong Kong First Division League table, the champions of Senior Challenge Shield and the winners of FA Cup. The winners of the semi-finals went through to the finals, with the winner of the final gaining 2014 AFC Cup participation.

Season statistics

Top scorers

Hat-tricks

Monthly awards

The monthly awards are organised by the Hong Kong Sports Press Association. 20 journalists who specialise in football in Hong Kong will vote their best player of the month. Player with the highest number of votes wins the award.
YearMonthWinnerClubSource
2012September Lee Chi HoSouth China
2012October DetinhoCitizen
2012November DetinhoCitizen
2012December Lee Wai LimSouth China
2013January Au Yeung Yiu ChungSouth China
2013February Christian AnnanWofoo Tai Po
2013March Zhang ChunhuiSunray Cave JC Sun Hei
2013April Li HaiqiangTuen Mun
2013May Jordi TarrésKitchee