Recently crowned Hong Kong league champions Sun Hei have more reason to win this afternoon's FA Cup as they seek a domestic quadruple unseen here in 16 years: a $3 million bonus.
Sun Hei players and staff have been promised the bonanza by club bosses if they defeat Happy Valley in the season's last remaining domestic competition. Victory in the final at Hong Kong Stadium today will match South China's superb 'clean sweep' during the 1988-89 season.
Less than four days after pipping Happy Valley for the league title on a dramatic night when Sun Hei defeated Fukien 1-0 after Valley could only manage a 3-3 draw against Kitchee in their final fixtures, Sun Hei are odds-on favourites to lift their fourth trophy this term. 'Everybody is on a high and we are quite confident we will give a good account of ourselves. We have come out of our last match without any serious injuries and we believe we can beat Valley again,' said Sun Hei coach Koo Luam Khen.
The $3 million bonus is believed to be the biggest offered by club bosses in recent years, but it is a testament that the club want to reward their players and staff for a phenomenally successful season, which saw them also take out the League Cup and the Senior Shield - all at the expense of Happy Valley.
Happy Valley, on the other hand, will find it extremely hard to pick themselves up from Wednesday's league disappointment - especially as the title was apparently presented to them on a silver platter last Sunday when they only needed a draw against Sun Hei in their penultimate league fixture. They lost 2-1, which presented the champions with a league title lifeline that was to prove invaluable.
'All the players are obviously feeling extremely down after losing on Wednesday but we are professionals and we have to move on. We still have a chance of winning the FA Cup and we will stop at nothing to win something for the season,' said Happy Valley goalkeeper Fan Chun-yip.
