Philippines Football League sides Ceres Negros FC and Global Cebu FC experienced contrasting results in the final day of the AFC Cup group stage last Wednesday 25 April 2018.
Ceres Negros saw their unbeaten home record in the competition end after Home United came away with a 2-0 win to claim the top spot in Group F. Late goals from Home United’s Izzdin Shafiq in the 80th minute and Song Ui-Yong in the 90th minute compounded Ceres to a second place finish in their group.
Despite the loss, Ceres Negros advanced to the knockout stages as the best second placed team among the teams in the ASEAN region. The Negros-based squad finished the group stage with 13 points, 4 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss, and a +14 goal differential.
Ceres Negros will face Group G winners Yangon United in the ASEAN Zonal semi-final scheduled next month.
It was a different ending for Global Cebu in Indonesia. The Cebu-based team defeated Bali United, 3-1, to cap off their AFC Cup run in second place with 8 points even though the club missed out on a spot to the next round.
Rufo Sanchez fired two goals in the 2nd and 45th minutes. Paul Mulders added another in the 33rd minute. Nick van der Velden scored a consolation goal for Bali United in the 71st minute.
Photos from Ceres Negros FC and Global Cebu FC Media Bureau
