MANILA, Philippines – Ceres-Negros FC opens their 2018 AFC Cup campaign with the 9-0 destruction of Boeung Ket FC on Tuesday, February 13, at the Pana-ad Park and Stadium. 

Takumi Uesato and Bienvenido Marañon led the scoring by halftime as both registered two goals apiece. OJ Porteria capped off the first half scoring parade to give Ceres a 5-0 lead by the first half. 

Ceres continued to ride with the momentum as Porteria scored a brace while Carli de Murga and Manny Ott also made it to the score sheet in the second half. 

There was no consolation at for Boeung Ket as the Cambodian club failed to contain the lethal lineup of Ceres. 

After playing in 3 away games in the AFC Champions League qualifiers, Ceres finally made a return back home to open their 2018 AFC Cup campaign in Group F. 

The Bacolod-based squad quickly took charge early in the game, holding majority of the possession throughout the game. In the 15th minute, Ceres broke the opponent’s defense which saw Uesato find the back of the net from the 6-yard box. This marked the first goal of Uesato since his transfer to Ceres. 

Three minutes later, Marañon’s header doubled the lead after he finished Stephan Schrock’s corner which initially found Mike Ott (2-0). In another 3-minute gap, Uesato met Jeffrey Christiaen’s low cross from the left wing to score a brace (3-0). 

In the 28th minute, Mike Ott was tripped while bringing it towards the goal keeper box which allowed Marañon to convert a penalty and made it a 4-0 lead for Ceres. 

Porteria gets on the score sheet as he converted a Marañon assist from the edge of the box in the 31st minute (5-0). 

Trailing 5-0 in the second half, luck was on Boeung Ket side as Sun Sovanrithy fumbled with defending and headed the ball to the back of a net for an own goal in the 57th minute (6-0, Ceres) 

Six minutes later, team captain de Murga made it a 7-0 lead for Ceres with a header off Manny Ott’s cross from the right flank. 

This match also marked Manny Ott’s return from injury and the central midfielder made immediate impact with a shot from the distance in the 81st minute (8-0)

In the 84th minute, Porteria finally scored his brace that cut through the Boeung Ket defense and into the back of the net (9-0). 

Boeung Ket’s greateast chance came from the 23rd minute where Khuon Laboravy sends an attack that hit the crossbar. 

Ceres-Negros’ next game will be on February 27 against Home United in Singapore. – Rappler.com