By Jonas Terrado
Global-Cebu launches the Philippine campaign in the AFC Cup today when it takes on Vietnamese side FLC Thanh Hoa in their Group G match at the My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi.
The Philippines Football League runner-up enters the 5:30 p.m. contest looking like a brand new club as it eyes to bounce back following a heartbreaking two-legged defeat to Singapore’s Home United in last year’s ASEAN Zonal semifinals.
Cebu-based businessman Alvin Carranza has purchased the club from longtime owner Dan Palami after its PFL Final loss to Ceres-Negros but lost star striker Misagh Bahadoran and reliable defender Amani Aguinaldo during the transfer window.
Global did add former Meralco-Manila midfielders Curt Dizon and Daniel Gadia and Jordan Jarvis to reinforce the side powered by Paul Mulders, Paolo Salenga, Patrick Deyto and foreigners Rufo Sanchez and Darryl Roberts.