Home away from home: Cebu FC faces acid test vs Korea’s Jeonbuk booters tonight

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu FC Gentle Giants face acid test in their first home game in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Two today (Thursday, September 19) at the Rizal Memorial Stadium (RMS) in Manila.

This as the Gentle Giants will go up against the two-time ACL champion Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC of South Korea.

Game time is set at 8 p.m.

For the second time, the Gentle Giants will hold their home games in a continental competition in Manila instead of Cebu for lack of a venue that passes the AFC standards.

Actually, the club attempted to bring its ACL Two home games at the Cebu City Sports Center.

But it did not pass the AFC inspection conducted last August.

Last year, Cebu FC also played its home games in the AFC Cup in Manila due to lack of a suitable facility in Cebu as its home pitch at the Dynamic Herb-Borromeo Sports Complex did not meet the AFC standards.

With this, Cebu FC CEO and General Manager Ugur Tasci urged the private sectors and the city government of Cebu to assist him in making the DH stadium an AFC-standard playing field.

“We have the turf. I hope the private sector and the government can help, even if it is just adding the bleachers. The rest I can do,” Tasci said.

The biggest work needed in making the DH stadium a standard venue is its seating capacity.

As per AFC regulations for AFC Champions League, a stadium must have a minimum seating capacity of 5,000.

The Dynamic Herb, however, can only accommodate 900 spectators comfortably.

Meanwhile, the venue for Cebu FC’s two other home games is still awaiting confirmation since the RMS is scheduled for renovation.