AFC Champions League 2: ex-Eastern player says Philippines ...

Former Kitchee and Eastern midfielder Mark Swainston said he had encountered a “faster and more physical” brand of football since joining Filipino club Kaya FC last year.

Kaya meet Eastern in an AFC Champions League 2 (ACL2) game at Mong Kong Stadium on Thursday night.

Eastern won the reverse fixture 2-1 in the Philippines a fortnight ago, after a pair of crackerjack goals from Marcos Gondra and Noah Baffoe crowned a fine counter-attacking display from the Hong Kong side.

Swainston, who missed that match injured, said it was a “special feeling” to return to Mong Kong for a clash with the club where he spent most of the 2022-23 season.

The 24-year-old also acknowledged Eastern have “a stronger team than when I was there”, following the addition of Baffoe, coupled with more savvy overseas signings and the emergence of a clutch of promising local players.

He insisted, nevertheless, that he was now playing his club football in a “more competitive” environment.