Champions Instant-Dict clash with arch-rivals South China tonight in the opening game of the First Division with the object of maintaining their proud record.
Last season Instant-Dict were unbeaten against South China with two wins and two draws from their four meetings, finishing the domestic season on a high note by winning the league's grand final 1-0 in May before more than 32,000 spectators.
Instant-Dict have had their morale boosted by beating the Hong Kong League XI 3-1 in the Aw Hoe Cup last Sunday. The win was a vindication of their promise after disappointing performances in the recent Regional Council Cup and the President's Cup.
South China coach Wong Man-wai said Instant-Dict will have the edge but said: 'We lost two titles by close margins. We lost the Viceroy Cup to a golden goal [2-1] and we lost the league grand final [1-0] after we had Ku Kam-fai sent off. We were rather unlucky last season. Perhaps luck will be on our side this time. Instant-Dict have had more games than we have had in their season build-up and they are slightly fitter.' South China are likely to shift Footballer of the Year Ricky Cheng Siu-chung to left-back to make way for striker Dale Tempest who partners Au Wai-lun up front.
Not surprisingly Instant-Dict are expected to field the same side who defeated the Hong Kong League XI in the Aw Hoe Cup and who lost to Shanghai 2-1 in the first-round, second-leg clash of the Asian Championship on Wednesday.
The champions have been boosted by the return of winger Ross Greer who scored the opening goal in Instant-Dict's win over the Hong Kong League XI.