AFTER Ceres Negros FC stunned Brisbane Roar FC, 3-2 last Tuesday, the Busmen are preparing for a face-off against China’s Tianjin Quanjian on January 30 at the Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium.
With that win, Ceres FC made history again as the first Philippine club to advance to the play-off round of the 2018 AFC Champions League Qualifying.
On Tuesday, A-League’s Brisbane Roar took an early 1-0 lead on Massimo Maccarone’s goal in the 35th minute off a cross from Brett Holman.
But Man of the Match Bienvenido Marañon equalized with a perfect shot from the left flank in the 43rd minute for halftime even.
The Ceres FC forward extended the lead in the 65th minute with a curled shot past Brisbane’s keeper Jamie Young and midfielder Omid Nazari put the Filipino club on a 3-1 advantage with a shot inside the box in the 75th minute.
Brisbane made the game closer in the 86th minute with their second goal, but even the five-minute added time was not enough for the home team to force a draw and extend the game.
If Ceres FC survived the Chinese next week, they will join Group E with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Kitchee, and the winner between Kashiwa Reysol of Japan and Thailand’s Muangthong United. (HGD)