Global Cebu faces host Vietnam club in AFC today

Match today (My Dinh Stadium, Hanoi) 4:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. Manila time) – FLC Thanh Hoa vs Global Cebu

New-look Global Cebu eyes a strong start on hostile territory as it battles Vietnamese outfit FLC Thanh Hoa FC in the kickoff of the AFC Cup today at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi.

Global, which underwent personnel changes in the offseason, hopes to overcome the odds in the 4:30 p.m. fixture (5:30 p.m. Manila time) against a side which reached the playoff stage of the Champions League Qualifiers last month.

“It’s always tough to start a tournament with an away game but we will give our best to have a good result tomorrow (today),” said Global coach Marjo Allado.

“I agree with our coach that playing away from home is always hard but we will do everything to get the full three points,” added skipper Patrick Deyto.

Global faces a disadvantage in terms of match fitness as it is still in pre-season in the domestic league, while Thanh Hoa, runnerup in the V. League 1 last year, has seen action internationally via the ACL Qualifiers, where it beat Eastern in the second stage, 4-2, then suffered a 1-5 loss to Suwon Samsung Blue Wings in the playoff.

“We have been watching some of their games to see their strengths and weaknesses. I believe the team has a good run last year. They also trained in South Korea which is colder than here so they are ready,” Allado said.

FLC Thanh Hoa FC coach Marian Mihail vowed to take it to the visitors.

“I heard they are very optimistic coming here to win; that is a very good attitude in football. But we are very technical team with a winning mentality. We came here to win and we will do our best to win,” he said.

The team, Mihail added, has moved on from that blowout in Korea.

“We want to show that we play good football, that we play beautiful football and show that Thanh Hoa is a good team.”