AFC Champions League: Hong Kong treble winners Kitchee lose ...

Alex Chu Chi-kwong has repeatedly talked up the importance of a strong AFC Champions League campaign for Kitchee this season.

The Hong Kong champions will need to significantly improve after a largely anaemic opening performance in Group F against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, which they lost 2-1, for the head coach to get his wish.

Mikael Severo, who scored a 56th-minute equaliser with an overhead kick that was a triumph of imagination and technique, provided the lone moment of quality.

The home side, who went ahead after just six minutes, needed only five to restore their lead, with Han Kyo-won capitalising on a generous deflection to send a shot skidding into the corner.

Jeonbuk are without a win in five matches in domestic football. But the South Koreans seized the chance to repair their fragile confidence at a sparsely-populated, rain-sodden Jeonju World Cup Stadium.

They had some help though, with centre-back Hong Jeong-ho granted the freedom of the penalty area to head Jun Amano’s free-kick into Paulo Cesar’s top corner.

“Our discipline was not what I wanted to see,” Chu said. “Conceding from the set-piece was a big mistake, it is difficult to control the game when you go behind so early.”

Cesar kept his side in it after that, turning away a rising Amano free-kick after 16 minutes and the goalkeeper was equal to Kim Jin-su’s fierce 35th-minute drive.

Kitchee lacked any semblance of rhythm, and that was probably not surprising given Chu’s recent penchant for heavy rotation.

His much-changed team was beaten 4-1 by Lee Man on Saturday, when Severo was rested despite last playing on August 27. Forward Igor Sartori suffered an injury at Lee Man that ruled him out against Jeonbuk.

A muscle issue denied striker Kim Shin-wook a return to his former club, and a problem sustained on international duty sidelined creator-in-chief Ruslan Mingazov.

Chu will, perhaps, reflect that he has tried to be too cute when managing individuals’ playing time.

“We missed some players injured and some were tired after Saturday,” Chu said. “It is early in our season and you need full-match fitness to compete with a K League team.”

Shinichi Chan’s wayward free-kick attempt 60 seconds before the break was reflective of Kitchee’s quality in the first half, and they were only marginally better after the break.

Onyegi Onazi’s long-range effort worked goalkeeper Jeong Min-ki for the first time, and then came Severo’s piece of genius.

Chan’s long throw was allowed to reach the forward close to the left byline. With his back to goal and options limited, Severo acrobatically sent the ball travelling over Jeong and into the net, via the inside of a post.

The small pocket of giddy Kitchee fans almost universally placed their hands over their mouths in disbelief.

Their joy was short-lived. Andrew Russell blocked a shot from Amano, but the ball deflected to Han on the right of the penalty area. The winger placed his shot between the legs of Chan and inside Cesar’s right post.

Jeonbuk were scarcely troubled in the closing half-hour, with Kitchee unable to add to their previous two efforts on target and a shot count of 24-6 in the home team’s favour highlighted the gulf between the sides.

The Hong Kong team’s home games against Lion City Sailors and Bangkok United next month already feel crucial to their chances of getting out of the group stage.

“I think we will be better at home, with more balance between attack and defence,” Chu said. “It is not easy to play away – so I was happy to see the players fighting hard.”