By Jonas Terrado
Game Today
(Marikina Sports Complex)
7 p.m. – JPV vs Global
The Philippines Football League begins its second season tonight with JPV-Marikina hosting last year’s runner-up and AFC Cup campaigner Global-Cebu in its first-ever home match at the Marikina Sports Complex.
JPV and Global clash at 7 p.m. as the two clubs hope to start their respective campaigns on a bright note in the new season that saw the regional league reduced from eight clubs to six following the withdrawal of Meralco-Manila and Ilocos United.
Ceres-Negros is back to defend the title it won by beating Global, 3-1, in the final while Stallion-Laguna, Davao Aguilas and Kaya-Iloilo, which moved to the Western Visayas province after playing in Makati last year, are determined to compete for supremacy.
The eliminations will feature a two-round home-and-away series, the top four teams advancing to the semis.
Global resumes its duties on the domestic side after two matches in the AFC Cup, including Tuesday’s 1-1 draw against Indonesia’s Bali United at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
JPV, on the other hand, will enter the season without Takumi Uesato, who signed with Ceres during the transfer window.
JPV tries to emerge victorious in its first match in Marikina after home matches were played last season in Manila and Laguna.
