Cebu FC players celebrate after scoring a goal in the ACL 2 against Muangthong United FC. | AFC photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines— The Cebu Football Club (CFC) Gentle Giants delivered a strong performance in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League 2, earning their first point in the tournament with a 2-2 draw against Muangthong United FC of Thailand.
The match took place at MBPJ Stadium in Selangor, Malaysia, on Wednesday, October 23.
This result marks a significant achievement for Cebu FC in Group H as they look to build momentum in the competition. Despite being positioned at the bottom of the standings, the Gentle Giants managed to shake off back-to-back losses against South Korea’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC and Selangor FC, displaying their grit to compete at the highest level.
The draw also served as a much-needed rebound for the Gentle Giants following a shocking 0-1 defeat in the Philippines Football League (PFL) against the unheralded Manila Diggers FC on October 19.
That loss dented their hopes of climbing the domestic league standings, but Cebu FC’s performance on the international stage suggests a team growing in confidence and composure.
Cebu FC took an early lead in the 16th minute when Rhino Goutier capitalized on a long inbound pass, heading the ball into the back of the net to put his team up 1-0.
They maintained their lead heading into halftime, showing impressive discipline against the Thai powerhouse.
However, Muangthong United mounted a comeback early in the second half. Felicio Brown found the equalizer in the 53rd minute, followed by Emil Roback’s 79th-minute strike to give the Thai side a 2-1 advantage.
Undeterred, the Gentle Giants pressed forward in search of an equalizer. Their persistence paid off in dramatic fashion when Rintaro Hama delivered a last-gasp goal in the 93rd minute, heading home a perfectly placed cross to level the match at 2-2.
A standout performance by Cebu FC goalkeeper Jun Badelic Jr. earned him the “Man of the Match” honor.
Badelic made a series of crucial saves to deny Muangthong United, whose 29 shots—seven of them on target—threatened to overwhelm the Cebu defense. Badelic’s heroics between the posts ensured that only two of those attempts found the back of the net before he was subbed for Yusuf Çekiç in the final stages of the match.
Cebu FC’s performance not only earned them their first point in the tournament but also demonstrated their growing readiness to challenge foreign teams on the international stage.
The Gentle Giants will now return to Cebu to resume their PFL campaign, where they are set to face One Taguig FC at the Dynamic Herb Borromeo Sports Complex on October 27.