Ceres-La Salle in key battle tonight

BACOLOD—Already assured of a place in the knockout stage of the AFC Cup, Ceres-La Salle aims to achieve one more milestone when it clashes with Sheikh Jamal of Bangladesh tonight at Panaad Stadium here.

Struggling in the United Football League, the star-studded Bacolod side hopes to turn its fortunes around as it tries to finish on top of its group and gain homefield advantage in the one-game playoff in the Round of 16.

Ceres has nine points, one ahead of Selangor of Malaysia. Tampines Rovers of Singapore, which hosts Selangor on Tuesday, has seven points.

Sheikh Jamal is already out of it but the Bangladeshi side pulled off the biggest upset of the group with a 3-2 win over Tampines two weeks ago.

“We want to get momentum for the knockout stage and we can do that with a good result tomorrow,” said Ceres coach Frank Muescan, whose squad beat the Bangladeshi side, 2-0, in Dhaka last March.

Said Ceres owner Leorey Yanson: “We have a big opportunity to show our home fans that we are the best team in our group.”

Ceres will have Bienvenido Marañon back from suspension while defender Juani Guirado is also returning from injury after missing two matches.

The other Filipino side in the competition, Kaya, hopes to advance to the Round of 16 as it battles New Radiant of the Maldives in Male on Tuesday.

Kaya bowed to Hong Kong side Kitchee, 0-1, two weeks ago at Rizal Memorial Stadium, leaving the LBC-backed side with no recourse but to pick up at least a point in its last game.

A win by Kitchee over Singapore side Balestier in Hong Kong will also put Kaya in the knockout round. But a victory by Kaya and Balestier will push the Filipino side to the Round of 16 as the top team in the group.

Kaya needed a late strike from OJ Porteria to beat the Maldives side, 1-0, in its first clash last March 8.