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MANILA, Philippines – There will virtually be no Christmas vacation for United Football League champions Global FC and Ceres-La Salle as they prepare for their matches in the 2015 Asian Football Confederation Cup, which is for second-tier clubs in the region.
Global FC, winners of the UFL Cup, have drawn defending champions Pahang FC in Group G play for the 2015 Asian Football Confederation Cup.
Ceres-La Salle, who won the UFL Football League over Global, faces Maziya Sports and Recreation of Maldives in a playoff match on February 17 in the Maldives. The winner will advance to Group E.
Global team manager Dan Palami, in a text message to Rappler, said Pahang and South China are “well-established football clubs.”
“Pahang are the defending champions and South China has had experience playing English Premier League teams in friendlies.”
Pahang won the Malaysia Cup and Malaysian FA Cup this year, according to the Football Association of Malaysia website.
Yadanarbon of Myanmar completes the cast of Group G where action starts on February 25. Global meets South China in a home match while Pahang faces Yadanarbon.
Global gets a chance to face Pahang on March 11 in an away match. Global’s other home matches will be against Yadanarbon on April 15 and against Pahang on May 13. Other away matches are March 18 against Yadanarbon and April 29 against South China.
Global is packed with key players of the Azkals squad that finished third in the last Suzuki Cup. They include goalie Patrick Deyto, defenders Amani Aguinaldo and Daisuke Sato, midfielders Misah Bahadoran and forward Mark Hartmann.
Ceres-La Salle, newly promoted to the UFL first division, is led by Azkals members Juani Guirado who was injured in the Suzuki Cup, Manny Ott, Patrick Reichelt and Rob Mulders.
Philippine Football Federation secretary general Edwin Gastanes said the country got a break when the Asian Football Confederation allocated slots for the 2015 AFC Cup. “This is a competition for clubs from developing countries in Asia,” said Gastanes in a phone interview.
Randy Roxas, UFL president, said in a seperate interview this is a “big achievement” for the four-year-old league. – Rappler.com
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