CERES Negros Football Club chairman Leo Rey Yanson appealed for support from Negrense football fans as the home team intensifies its preparation for this year’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup qualifying round.
“The club has started training and is 100 percent committed to rise to the occasion and make our beloved province proud,” Yanson said.
Last year, the Negrenses witnessed Ceres FC making history at Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City where they played against teams from Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Singapore in the group stage of the AFC Cup.
“The positive results from the qualifying round earned us a slot for the Round of 16, making us the first ever Filipino football club to do so,” Yanson said.
He added, “We were pitted against South China AA from Hong Kong and unfortunately lost 2-1 in a heartbreaking match that ended our journey for qualification to the next rounds.”
He said though that the upset in the AFC Cup did not break the spirit of the team.
“Instead their determination to continue gained back the momentum in relation to our participation in the invitational Singapore Cup which made us the first Filipino football club to win second runner-up in the said tournament,” said Yanson.
Yanson added that the club’s football season continued in the United Football League (UFL) in Manila which has been an unpredictable representation for them.
“We looked forward to retaining the title we had two years ago but hardships and injuries prevented us from pursuing our goals. We ranked second overall giving us the privilege to bring back to our beloved province three upcoming international games,” he said.
Ceres FC will meet Tampines Rovers or Geylang International from Singapore on March 7 and will play against Felda United from Malaysia on March 15.
On April 19, the team will play TNT Hanoi or SHB Da Nang from Vietnam.
