Play-off offers South China last chance of redemption
Caroliners hope to end woeful domestic season on a high note, with return of coach Casemiro Mior leading their bid to secure AFC Cup qualification
South China's last chance of salvaging a poor domestic season comes tonight against Eastern in the AFC Cup Play-off opening round at Mong Kok Stadium.
The Caroliners have failed to win any of the four domestic trophies, a failure relative to their normal standard.
In a bid to reverse that, the club have recently brought back former coach Casemiro Mior to take over from Mario Gomez, and the Brazilian, who knows the Hong Kong scene having managed both tonight's clubs over the last two decades, will be eager to prove himself in his first match in charge.
No one will doubt the quality of Eastern as they are the only team to have won a trophy other than Kitchee this season
"The play-off is important because the winners represent Hong Kong in next year's AFC Cup," he said. "If we lose, we will not be playing in the regional competition.
"No one will doubt the quality of Eastern as they are the only team to have won a trophy other than Kitchee this season. They did well in the FA Cup final and even if they lost 2-0 to Kitchee after extra time, the result did not reflect the actual difference between the two."
South China captain Chan Wai-ho, one of two players left who played under Mior in the 2007 season, said South China would take a more attacking approach under him.
