Ceres-La Salle, Kaya book PH slots in AFC Cup

THE PHILIPPINES will have two teams in the group stage of the AFC Cup for the first time next year as a result of unused spots by several countries in the East zone of the competition.

Reigning United Football League champion Ceres-La Salle gained an outright spot to the group stage of the tournament for its runaway victory in the league last year.

Joining Ceres in the second tier continental competition is UFL Cup champion Kaya, which no longer needs to go through a playoff to make the group stage.

With Indonesia suspended from competitions due to government interference in the running of football in the country and countries like Cambodia, Timor Leste, Guam, Brunei and North Korea not sending teams, spots opened up for Singapore, Maldives, India, Malaysia and Philippines to have one more team in the group stage.

Ceres and Kaya will know their opponents when the draw for the tournament is made on Thursday in Kuala Lumpur.

But the two Filipino sides will already be assured of four home games each with Ceres expected to play matches at Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City. Kaya is eyeing Rizal Memorial Stadium for home matches.

The AFC Cup allows three foreign players in the squad including one Asian player which means Ceres and Kaya will be forced to make cuts from its UFL lineups to comply with rules. The local league allows five foreigners to play for each team.

Ceres, which lost in a playoff for a group stage spot last season, has started strengthening its Filipino crew by signing Azkals midfielder Kevin Ingreso.

Global made history as the first team to win an AFC Cup match last year, but it missed out on a spot in the knockout phase of the tournament won by Malaysian club Johor Darul Takzim.