Ceres-Negros tries to inch closer to outright KO stage spot

Ceres-Negros seeks a repeat of its conquest a week ago when it battles Myanmar’s Shan United on Wednesday this time at Thuwunna Stadium in the AFC Cup in Yangon.

The Busmen overcame a resolute stand by the Burmese champions for a 2-0 victory that kept them on top of Group F. Shan is in third with three points, a point behind Home United of Singapore, which hosts Boeung Ket of Cambodia.

A victory by the Philippines Football League champions in the 5:30 p.m. match will push them closer to a berth in the knockout stage of the tournament.

Ceres coach Risto Vidakovic expects an even tougher outing against Shan, which only conceded in the 78th minute in their March 6 showdown at Panaad Stadium in Bacolod.

“Surely it will be a very hard game for us,” said the Serbian. “It will be the hardest game we still have in the AFC Cup. We played Shan United twice and both were very hard games. We won in Bacolod. But it was the lucky first goal.”