The Bacolod-based football squad, Ceres-La Salle FC will try to gun a place in Asia’s most prestigious club competition, the group stage of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup as it battles Maziya Sports & Recreation of Maldives in a playoff at the National Stadium of Maldivian capital Male.
The two-time PFF Smart Club titlist, Ceres-La Salle wanted to prove that they are capable of making it big in Asian football club competition against the Maldivian FA champs as they dispute last berth in Group E, where Bengaluru of India, Persipura Jayapura of Indonesia, and Warriors of Singapore have been seeded.
According to Ceres Club director, Ali Go during an interview, he noted that the team has been training for the upcoming game as the team will be playing against a squad that previously played in the AFC Cup for three straight years.
The Ceres-La Salle will represent the Philippines in the AFC with team captain Juani Guirado leading the team with his fellow Philippine Azkals Patrick Reichelt, Paul Mulders and Martin Steuble.
The Azkals’ member will be back to Maldives to represent their country’s color, as they will play once again at the site of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup where the Philippines placed second to Palestine and failed to secure the last remaining slot of the recently concluded 2015 Asian Cup in Australia.