Eastern set sights on League after Senior Shield success over Kitchee
Securing trophy will motivate club for Premiership matchup against same side this Saturday, insists coach Cristiano Cordeiro
Eastern coach Cristiano Cordeiro has urged his players to keep up the good fight as the club turned their attention back on the Premier League after snatching the Canbo Senior Shield in a thrilling final at Hong Kong Stadium on Saturday.
The two-time former Hong Kong Footballer of the Year said his club's latest silverware success after defeating rivals Kitchee 3-2, was the perfect springboard to go headlong into the league challenge, beginning with another encounter with Kitchee, who they meet at Mong Kok Stadium on Saturday.
Eastern picked up their first silverware of the season - beating Kitchee for the second straight time in a trophy final after last May's FA Cup success - in front of the highest attendance so far this season - 6,133.
I haven't scored too many goals this season for Eastern, but these are two important goals
"Our league game against Kitchee will be different, but victory today will definitely give us extra motivation," said Cordeiro. "But I also want to warn my players that soccer is so dynamic that if you stay complacent, you will get punished."
Eastern had to thank attacking midfielder Miroslav Saric, a replacement for suspended Michel Lugo, after he scored a brace, with Dylan Macallister netting the other for the ambitious club.
After Saric found the net first, Kitchee marksman Juan Belencoso equalised, but Kitchee stepped up another gear in the second half with Macallister and Saric hitting their targets before Jorge Tarres scored deep into stoppage time when it was all too late.
