Cebu FC players (in white jersey) and Muangthong United FC (red jersey) scramble for ball possession during their AFC Champions League 2 match. | Photo from Muangthong United FC Facebook page
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Muangthong United FC delivered a commanding performance against Cebu Football Club (CFC) Gentle Giants in their AFC Champions League 2 match, held Thursday night, November 7, at the historic Rizal Memorial Stadium.
Coming off a 2-2 draw in Bangkok last October, Muangthong United capitalized on its momentum, dismantling Cebu FC with a comprehensive 9-2 victory. This decisive win dimmed Cebu FC’s aspirations for advancing to the next round, as the Gentle Giants now sit with three defeats and one draw in Group H.
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From the outset, Muangthong United established control, displaying a tactical superiority that was evident throughout the match. Felicio Brown Forbes opened the scoring in the 7th minute, and just six minutes later, Poramet Arjvirai netted his first goal, ultimately securing a hat trick to highlight his standout performance.
Despite the early deficit, Cebu FC responded through Guytho Mijland, who struck twice in the 20th and 23rd minutes to level the score at 2-2. However, Muangthong United swiftly regained momentum as Kakana Khamyok scored twice in quick succession (37′ and 39′), restoring their lead at 4-2. As the first half drew to a close, additional goals by Forbes and Arjvirai in stoppage time extended their lead to 6-2.
The second half continued to favor the Thai club, with Arjvirai completing his hat trick in the 51st minute, while Purachet Thodsanit added another in the 65th minute. Songwut Kraikruan capped off the scoring in the 82nd minute, solidifying a resounding win.
Muangthong United’s offensive prowess was evident, with 19 shots and 12 on target, complemented by a strong ball possession advantage at 58% and an impressive 86% passing accuracy.
This crucial victory marks Muangthong United’s first win in the group stage, improving their record to 1-2-1 (win-draw-loss) and accumulating five points. They now trail second-placed Selangor FC of Malaysia, who hold seven points (2-1-1), and the group leaders, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC, with nine points (3-0-1).
In contrast, Kaya FC Iloilo defeated Eastern Sports Club FC, 2-1, in Group E of the AFC Cup.
Daizo Horikoshi and Robert Lopez Mendy scored their goals via penalty, while Marcos Gondra prevented a shutout outing for Eastern Sports Club of Hong Kong via his 70th minute goal.