Ceres Negros striker Blake Powell (2nd from right) and defender Carlos de Murga during a match against Home United for the first leg of the AFC Cup 2018 ASEAN Zonal Finals at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City on Wednesday night (August 1, 2018). (Photo courtesy of Merlinda A. Pedrosa)
BACOLOD CITY -- After forcing the Philippines’ Ceres Negros to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the ASEAN Zonal Finals, Singapore’s Home United head coach, Aidil Sharin, said they need to work hard to beat the defending champion at home on August 8.
One of Ceres’ new additions, Australian striker Blake Powell, scored a penalty for his first Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup goal while Isaka Cernak was Home United’s goal scorer on Wednesday night’s Leg 1 match at the Panaad Park and Stadium here.
“We have to do another good game in Singapore. We have to put extra hard-work to beat Ceres. It’s an advantage that it’s a home game, but it’s not going to be easy,” Sharin said in a press interview after the match.
The two-leg AFC Cup 2018 ASEAN Zonal Finals, which will end at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Kallang, Singapore next Wednesday, is a rematch for both teams - which could either bring Ceres Negros a back-to-back title or deliver the championship to Home United after losing to the Filipino club last year.
“The team’s performance (Wednesday night) was superb. I told the boys before the game to hold them off. To beat Ceres, we need double hard-work,” Sharin added.
Ceres Negros head coach Risto Vidakovic acknowledged that Home United’s defense limited his team’s chances to score more goals.
“They played defensively so it was not easy to penetrate,” he said.
Still, he remained optimistic that Ceres Negros can defend its ASEAN Zonal title.
“We have another 90 minutes (in Singapore) so everything is open. We need to win there and I think it will be similar to this one (in Panaad),” Vidakovic said, hoping that the players who did not play in the first finals match can recover and “we will be stronger.”
Powell, who was named “Man of the Match,” said the Busmen will step up their game to win the next match.
“We got a must-win game coming up so we’ll go to Singapore and give our 200 percent,” he added. (PNA)
