Eastern Edged Out as Tai Po Complete Comeback in Hong Kong Derby
On.cc · 2 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Tai Po produced a remarkable second-half comeback to beat Eastern 3-1 in the Hong Kong Premier League at Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground on Sunday . The visitors, who returned just days earlier from an AFC Champions League 2 match in Thailand, fell behind to Makarescu's first-half strike but responded through goals from Choi Lap Ching, Putrilio and Fernando to claim victory . Eastern had ended a four-match winless streak with a victory over Champions FC just last week, but couldn't build on that momentum in this local derby .
Key Points
- Eastern opened the scoring in the 44th minute when Makarescu capitalised on a misunderstanding between Wang Xianchen and Ryan Leonardo to slot home
- Tai Po equalised four minutes after half-time when Choi Lap Ching converted from close range after Charles Scott's headed clearance fell kindly to him
- Putrilio chipped the goalkeeper in the 75th minute to complete the turnaround after combining with Shen Chengxian
- Fernando added a third in stoppage time to seal the 3-1 victory, maintaining Tai Po's fourth-place position in the league table
- Lei Xiannu, a former Tai Po player who transferred to Eastern this season, expressed confidence before the match about facing his former club and teammate Li Ka-ho
Why It Matters
This victory provides a timely boost for Tai Po after their AFC Champions League 2 disappointment in Thailand earlier this week, though the quick turnaround tested their physical condition . Eastern's signing strategy of recruiting multiple former Tai Po players was ultimately insufficient to overcome their more battle-hardened opponents, highlighting the competitive gap that remains between the two sides .
This victory provides a timely boost for Tai Po after their AFC Champions League 2 disappointment in Thailand earlier this week, though the quick turnaround tested their physical condition . Eastern's signing strategy of recruiting multiple former Tai Po players was ultimately insufficient to overcome their more battle-hardened opponents, highlighting the competitive gap that remains between the two sides .