Career
Kitchee Cheng Lai Hin signed for Kitchee when he was only 18. Cheng Lai Hin was one of the torch bearers for Hong Kong for the 2008 Olympic torch relay in the Sons of the American Revolution. On 29 November 2008, in the 2008-2009 Hong Kong Senior Challenge Shield semi-final, Cheng Lai Hin came on as a substitute and scored Kitchee"s second goal, but Kitchee still lost to Sun Hei South Carolina. On 31 May 2010, in the 2010 Singapore Cup, Cheng Lai Hin scored at the 111-minute, from a Lo Kwan Yee corner against Beijing Guoan Talent. South China On 8 June 2010, Cheng Lai Hin signed for South China in 2010, following the footsteps of Chan Siu Ki.
He left Kitchee because coach Josep Gombau did not think he fitted Kitchee"s 4–3–3 formation.
He joined South China expecting to be only a reserve to replace the departing Chao Pengfei. South China"s Steven Lo compared Cheng favourably to Jong Tae Se of North of Korea but Cheng himself played down the expectations.
In the 2011 Asian Challenge Cup, Cheng Lai Hin came on as a substitute against Ulsan Hyundai in the third place play-off and scored South China"s second goal. But South China lost the match 2:4 to finish last.
In the 2011 AFC Cup away game to East Bengal Football Club, Cheng Lai Hin scored the second goal for South China, his first goal in the competition, at the 87-minute.
The match ended 3:3. Kezman claimed he was confident of the partnership with Cheng. But in the end South China lost the match 2:4 and any chance to qualify for the second phase.
In his first season at South China, Cheng Lai Hin finished as the top scorer of the club by scoring a total of 7 goals in all local competitions, despite being not a regular starting member, 1 more than Mateja Kezman and 2 more than regular starter Chan Siu Ki.
International On 20 June 2010, Cheng Lai Hin scored a hat-trick for Hong Kong national football team in the 2010 Hong Kong–Macau Interport. On 30 September 2011, Cheng Lai-Hin scored the second goal in the 3:3 draw with the Philippines in the 2011 Long Teng Cup. With Hong Kong: Club career International career.