MANILA – Ceres-Negros FC got back on the winning track in the 2020 AFC Cup group stage.
It defeated Bali United of Indonesia, 4-0, in a closed-door home match on Wednesday night at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.
Bienvenido Marañon fired two goals while Jose Elmer Porteria and Robert Lopez Mendy added a conversion each.
With the win, the Busmen gained the top spot in Group G (seven points).
In the opening half, the Busmen was tested heavily by the defense of Bali United. But it took the lead at the 35th minute as Porteria converted a missed shot by Stephan Schrock.
Schrock became instrumental in the Busmen’s next two goals. He won the penalty in the 54th minute that was converted by Marañon.
The two connected anew at the 69th minute. Schrock’s corner was headed into the goal by the Spanish star.
With the Bali United unable to penetrate past the defense of the Ceres-Negros, Lopez Mendy put on the finishing touches for the Negros Occidental-based team with a good finish at the 73rd minute.
“We feel so happy. So happy because we got the three points,” Marañon said. “In the beginning, it was really difficult. We were not used to playing this humid. It’s too hot but after 25 minutes we controlled the game and we deserved the win.”
“It’s always very hard to play when the opponent is defending so deep,” said Busmen head coach Risto Vidakovic. “We just kept the same plan. We kept moving the ball from side to side, keep the possession trying to penetrate them from sides.”
Ceres-Negros and Bali United, which dropped to last place in Group G with three points, will lock horns anew on April 14, 2020, 7:30 p.m., at the Kapten I Wayan Dipta Stadium in Bali, Indonesia./PN
