FROM defending its title in the 2017 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup Zonals to winning the inaugural 2017 Philippines Football League (PFL) crown, the past year has been a solid one for the Ceres-Negros Football Club.
Ceres-Negros FC chairman, Leo Ray Yanson, expressed his utmost gratitude to all of the club’s supporters.
“The two titles would not have been possible without the hard work and sacrifices that each player and coaching staff put in,” Yanson said. “To the fans, who never fail to inspire our team to give their 100 percent, these trophies belong to you as much as it belongs to the club.”
Aside from the trophies that they were able to acquire, the Busmen also received recognitions such as the AFC Fair Play Award, which is the first to be given to a Filipino club. The award is given to a team with the most Fair Play points and least recorded yellow and red cards in the 2017 AFC Cup.
The other recognition that Ceres-Negros FC received was the honorable complimentary letter from the Federacion Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) president, Gianni Infantino.
In his letter addressed to Philippines Football Federation (PFF) President Mariano “Nonong” Araneta, Infantino congratulated the Busmen in winning the 2017 PFL.
“On behalf of the entire football community, I would like to thank Ceres-Negros FC and your association for helping to spread the positive message of football,” Infantino said.
The Ceres-Negros “Busmen” alongside with Global Cebu FC and FC Meralco Manila already secured a spot for the AFC Cup group stages next year.