Cebu Football Club players and officials pose for a group photo after training at the Campbelltown Stadium in Sydney, Australia. | Photo from Yeojeve Abella via Glendale Rosal
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The CFC Gentle Giants gun for their first win in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup against the home team, the MacArthur FC on Thursday, October 5, 2023, at the Campbelltown Stadium in Sydney, Australia.
Their match against MacArthur FC will serve as CFC’s international first match outside the Philippines, and their first away match in the AFC Cup group F.
The match kicks off at 4:00 PM Philippine time.
The home team is riding on a dominant, 3-0, win over Shan United FC, the 2022 Myanmar National League champions in their first group stage match last September 21, at the Thuwunna Stadium stadium, Yangon City, Myanmar.
Valere Germain, Ali Auglah, and Lachlan Rose scored the goals for the Aussie club.
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Meanwhile, The Gentle Giants faltered in their first AFC match, 0-3, in the hands of Cambodia’s Phnom Penh Crown FC, at the Rizal Memorial Stadium also last September 21.
MacArthur FC is tied with Phnom Penh FC in the team standings with three points apiece. Each club also tallied three goals in their previous matches.
Meanwhile, CFC and Shan United both lost their opening games.
Despite the loss against Phnom Penh, the Gentle Giants managed to clinch an equally important win in the ongoing Copa Paulino Alcantara quarterfinals of the Philippines Football League (PFL) last September 30 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
That victory boosted CFC’s players’ morale heading to Sydney, Australia.
After playing against MacArthur FC, the Gentle Giants will host Shan United on October 26 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium and will have a rematch against the latter on November 9 at the Thuwunna Stadium Stadium in Yangon. /rcg
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