[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading tag=’h3′ padding=’10’ heading=’ Ceres, Global secure slots in 2017 AFC Cup ‘ color=” style=’blockquote modern-quote’ custom_font=” size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ custom_class=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
MANILA – Ceres-Negros Football Club and Global Football Club will represent the Philippines in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup next year.
Drawn in Group G, Ceres-Negros will face Tampines Rovers of Singapore, Vietnam League champions Hanoi T&T and Malaysian Super League runners-up Felda United.
On the other hand, Global was grouped with Johor Darul Ta’zim of Malaysia, Myanmar club and 2016 General Aung San Shield winners in Group F.
But in case Global qualifies to the AFC Champions League in January 2017, third placer Loyola Meralco Sparks Football Club will clinch the second and last slot in Group F.
Ceres-Negros qualified to Asia’s second most important club football tilt after its runner-up finish in the United Football League Cup and League conferences.
The AFC Cup is set to form a new format as it introduces a more regional approach in the group stage.
There will be three groups of four dedicated to Asean clubs, rendering qualification into the knockout stages a bit more stringent.
Unlike before, this edition introduces a zonal format. Hence, teams in West Asia and Asean Zones would have to finish as the group winner and the best group runner-up to make it to the zonal semifinals./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
