MANILA, Philippines — Filipino football club Ceres Negros is through to the Preliminary Round 1 of the 2020 AFC Champions League Group stage after surviving Myanmar's Shan United FC, 3-2, at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium on Tuesday.
The Busmen needed to grind out the victory, with Shan United scoring two goals in the second half to put the Filipino booters on their heels.
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Robert Lopez Mendy was the first to find the back of the net for Ceres, hitting an early goal in the fifth minute to put the Pinoys up, 1-0.
Bienvenido Maranon Morejon doubled the Busmen's lead in the 40th minute, ending the first half with the three-time Philippine Football League champions on top, 2-0.
But the Burmese booters were able to get a goal back with Zin Min Tun getting past Ceres keeper Roland Muller in the 73rd minute.
Luckily for the Busmen, OJ Porteria gave them back a two-goal cushion with a strike in the 79th minute.
Shan United's Djedje Djawa scored the Burmese's second goal of the match at the 87th minute mark, but Ceres was able to hold on for the win.
The Busmen will then face Thailand squad Port FC on Tuesday, January 21.