Ceres, Kaya brace for AFC tourneys

TOP Filipino clubs Ceres Negros FC and Kaya FC- Iloilo will see action in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) club competitions next year.

Three-time Philippines Football League (PFL) champion Ceres Negros will compete in the qualifiers of the top-tier AFC Champions League while two-time runner-up Kaya Iloilo will join the second-tier AFC Cup.

The two Filipino powerhouse teams’ opponents were determined following the official draw for the continental club tilts on Tuesday afternoon at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Playing in the second straight year, Ceres will host Myanmar’s titlitst Shan United FC anew in the first qualifying round on January 14.

Should the Yellow Busmen advance, they will face Thailand cup winner Port FC in the third phase on Jan. 21 and Japanese powerhouse FC Tokyo in the final stage on Jan. 28.

The winner of the preliminary round will enter Group F of the Champions League where South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai, China’s Shanghai Shenhua and Australia’s Perth Glory are already waiting.

Last year, the Bacolod champs weaved an impressive run to the final round after dispatching Shan United and silencing Australia’s Brisbane Roar FC only to fall short against China’s Tianjin Quanjian.

If Ceres once again fails to qualify for the Champions League, it will be relegated to the AFC Cup where it will take on Vietnam’s Than Quang Ninh, Indonesia’s Bali United and the playoff winner between Laos’ Master 7 FC and Cambodia’s Preah Khan Reach Vay Rieng FC in Group G.

Meanwhile, Kaya will likely battle Singapore’s Tampines Rovers, Shan United and the victor between Indonesia’s PSM Makassar and Timor-Leste’s Lalenok United in Group H.

Tampines will also participate in the Champions League preliminaries. In case Tampines and Shan prevail, they will be replaced by Geylang United and Ayeyawady United, respectively.

“Considering that we have our core guys in the squad still, and that it’s our third time in AFC Cup competition, we should be up to par this time. We should be ready to go in February. I hope we get the team chemistry going by then, and we should be on track,” said Kaya manager and former Azkals captain Aly Borromeo.

The Lions will start their campaign on Feb. 26, with their final group stage assignment set in May.