Azkals-backed Ceres La Salle vies in Maldives AFC Cup

MANILA, Philippines - Ceres La Salle FC’s stalwarts in the Philippine Azkals team will return to the Maldives on Feb. 17 for their club’s campaign in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup’s qualifying playoff against Maldivian champ Maziya Sports and Recreation Club.

Captain Juani Guirado, Patrick Reichelt, and Paul Mulders, who saw action for the Azkals in the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup last May, will spearhead the fight for Ceres, which seeks to move forward to the main draw of the Asia’s second-level tourney for domestic clubs. 

Some players from the Maldives national team that the Azkals defeated in the Challenge Cup semis are expected to suit up for Maziya, too.

Should Ceres hurdle the Maldivian club in the one-game playoff at the latter’s homefield, the Negros Occidental-based team will earn a spot in Group E along with seeded clubs Bengaluru of India, Jayapura of Indonesia and Warriors of Singapore.

Ceres, the reigning United Football League FA Cup ruler, will seek to make it two entries from the Philippines in the group stage.

Global FC, the UFL Cup titlists, has been allotted a slot in Group G with Pahang of Malaysia, South China AA of Hong Kong and Yadanarbon of Myanmar.

The Global booters will have their hands full in the bracket, with Pahang, the Malaysia Cup holders, determined to retain the AFC Cup this year. Global kicks off its bid on Feb. 25 at home.

Both Filipino clubs had previously seen action in the AFC President’s Cup, the club competition for “emerging countries” that had since been dissolved. But this will be their debut in the higher-level AFC Cup, a development that Global FC exec Dan Palami said augurs well to the development of Phl football.

“This is a good opportunity, not just for Global but for all the clubs as well because the door has been opened for our participation in the AFC Cup,” said Palami.”We have the growth of clubs also to complement (the success of the Azkals), this will be the best formula for the improvement of Philippine football.”