New ruling boosts Hong Kong's chances of having a team in AFC Cup final
East will meet West in regional cup climax, but Kitchee and South China could be in line to face off
For the first time, there are two teams from Hong Kong in the last eight stage, and when the draw is made in Kuala Lumpur on June 18, they will only meet East Asian sides, until one of the four has reached the final. The format is the same for the four other quarter-finalists from the west, guaranteeing a final showdown between East and West.
This is good news to East Asia clubs because it has been very difficult to beat Middle East teams and reach the final
Previously, teams in the quarter-finals would draw against each other and an East Asian team have not reached the final since the tournament’s inception in 2004. Middle East nations have dominated and the only time they did not lift the trophy was in 2011 when FC Nasaf of Uzbekistan defeated Al Kuwait 2-1 in the final. Nasaf are also the only non-Middle Eastern team to have reached the final.
“This is good news to East Asia clubs because it has been very difficult to beat Middle East teams and reach the final,” said Kitchee director of football Chu Chi-kwong, whose side lost to Erbil of Iraq in the semi-final last year.
“We can also save a lot on travelling time and that’s important when the domestic season begins as we will have to play on home and international fronts.”