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ITALIAN glamour club Sampdoria have confirmed their appearance in Hong Kong for an exhibition match against local champions Eastern in May.

 Eastern, who have secured a big-money sponsor in Italian fashion house Satchi, have booked the Hong Kong Stadium for Wednesday, May 11.

 And a spokesman for the famous Sampdoria club in Genoa confirmed last night that they would be providing the opposition for Hong Kong's strongest team.

 ''A press conference has been arranged at the Regal Hong Kong Hotel on Monday, January 24, and all the details will be revealed then,'' said the spokesman.

 ''But Sampdoria will be coming to Hong Kong.''  The appearance of Sampdoria, who lie third in Serie A, will give the territory's sports fans even more top-class entertainment following the opening of the $850 million stadium on March 11.

 On Sunday, March 13, Dutch champions Feyenoord will play Brazilian club side Gremio in an inter-continental contest to kick-off football at the refurbished venue.

 And on Friday, April 1, South China will entertain world club champions Sao Paulo, who will stop off in Hong Kong on their way to Japan for the Kirin Cup.

 Sampdoria, however, will be the biggest attraction - although their line-up has yet to be confirmed.

 Their most famous player is Dutchman Ruud Gullit, who has scored 11 league goals this season and is enjoying a new lease of life after being signed from AC Milan last summer.

 Gullit said he would not play for Holland in this summer's World Cup finals in the United States if coach Dick Advocaat was in charge. Advocaat was expected to be replaced by Barcelona boss Johan Cruyff for the finals but Cruyff's asking price was too high for the Dutch Football Association and Advocaat was given the all-clear to carry on.

 Another summer singing is England captain David Platt, who was released by Juventus and now has six goals to his name for Sampdoria. He has visited Hong Kong before with his last club in England, Aston Villa.

 Their third foreigner is Yugoslav Vladimir Jugovic, the former Red Star Belgrade midfielder.

 A talented squad of players also includes national 'keeper Gianluca Pagliuca, rugged central defender Pietro Vierchowod, right-winger Attilio Lombardo and captain and striker Roberto Mancini.

 Having originally lined up English Premiership club Sheffield Wednesday, Eastern had to change their plans when they acquired Italian sponsors, who are believed to be putting up more than $1 million.

 Eastern are understood to have had the choice between Internazionale, of Milan, and Sampdoria, but Inter were unable to confirm their appearance because the UEFA Cup final is on May 11. Inter play Borussia Dortmund in the next round in March.

 In Hong Kong, meanwhile, Sing Tao set themselves up for a crack at the Hong Kong First Division title by beating Football Club 4-0 at Mongkok Stadium last night.

 The win - Sing Tao's fourth on the trot in the league - moved them up to second place in the 10-team table, above South China and behind only defending champions Eastern.

 Skipper John Moore scored the first and the fourth goals to take his season's tally to 10, teenager Wai Kwan-lung grabbed the second goal and veteran midfielder Timmy Tang Kam-tim the third from the penalty spot.



Sampdoria to take on HK champions