‘Full house’ expected as Eastern take on rivals Kitchee in Hong Kong Premier League opener
- The two heavyweights will meet on October 23 as the new season kicks off with just eight teams
- Venue capacity will increase from 75 to 80 per cent with six spectators allowed to sit together
Eastern Long Lions manager Roberto Losada can expect a healthy crowd when they challenge champions Kitchee in the BOC Hong Kong Premier League opener later this month after authorities increased venue capacity from 75 to 80 per cent under a new pandemic control measure.
The two domestic heavyweights will kick off the new season on October 23 at Mong Kok Stadium and there is anticipation that up to 5,000 spectators – the maximum allowed – could attend the clash of the giants.
It will be Losada’s first season in charge of a club after the 2011 Hong Kong Footballer of the Year winner spent most of his time in the city with Kitchee first as a player and then assistant coach after leaving Spain where he played for several La Liga clubs, namely Mallorca and Valladolid.
“Kitchee remain the team to beat. They are the league champions, the Hong Kong number one,” said the Spaniard. “But we are going to give it a try and it will be an exciting game for fans. Everybody wants to start the season well and I hope we will have a full house.
“However, the most important thing about the new season is that there are a few other teams who are also strong and it will make the league very interesting and tight. You cannot underestimate Lee Man, Southern and even Resources Capital who have a bunch young players who have potential and who have matured a lot after their maiden season in the Premier League. It’s never going to be a two-horse race between Kitchee and Eastern.”