By JONAS TERRADO
Game Wednesday
(Yangon, Myanmar)
5 p.m. – Yangon United vs Ceres
(Ceres leads 4-2 on aggregate)
Ceres-Negros closed in on a return appearance in the ASEAN zonal finals of the AFC Cup after claiming a 4-2 victory over Myanmar’s Yangon United in the first leg of their semifinal tie at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.
Spanish striker Bienvenido Maranon continued his scoring rampage with two goals while Patrick Reichelt and Manuel “Super” Herrera also found the back of the net to put the Busmen closer to a spot in the finals against either Singapore’s Home United or Indonesia’s Persija Jakarta.
Home United prevailed 3-2 over Persija in the first leg at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore.
The second leg is slated Wednesday at the Youth Training Centre in Yangon, with the Busmen having the luxury of playing a defensive-minded style with a two-goal edge.
Yangon, however, holds the away goals advantage going into the return leg after former Global striker Sekou Sylla struck twice in the second half.
Maranon put the Busmen in front 29 minutes after kickoff, receiving Manny Ott’s long ball before chipping a right-footed shot into the far side of the post.
