BR REVIEW
BUSMEN
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF CERES-NEGROS FC www.ceresfootball.com
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MESSAGE FROM
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ROAD TO THE AFC
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BR GALLERY
THE CHAIRMAN
ASEAN FINAL
CHAMPS AGAIN RELENTLESS CERES NAILS BACK-TO-BACK PFL CROWNS
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ISSUE 4 AUGUST 2018
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GALLERY
The year 2018 is turning out to be a memorable one for Ceres-Negros FC. With the club vying in the AFC Cup and in the Philippines Football League, there has been no shortage of terrific images from the matches. Here are some of the best photos of the season so far from club photographer Stephen Tan.
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MESSAGE FROM
THE CHAIRMAN To the Ceres-Negros FC Family As we face another challenge in the AFC Asean zone final against Home United of Singapore, allow me to take this opportunity to reflect on what has been an exciting campaign so far in 2018.
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The season actually started early for us - way back in January as we represented the country in the AFC Champions League qualifying stage. Somehow, we’ve managed to accomplish one of our main goals at the start of the season - to win the PFL and return to the AFC Champions League next year.
A few days ago, we were able to successfully defend the Philippines Football League title with three games to spare. It hasn’t been an easy journey back to the top as the players and staff have gone to great lengths to ensure success in the PFL. The season actually started early for us - way back in January - as we represented the country in the AFC Champions League qualifying stage. Somehow, we’ve managed to accomplish one of our main goals at the start of the season - to win the PFL and return to the AFC Champions League next year. The victory can be attributed to many factors, from the work and the focus on the training ground, the magnificent planning and tactical work of the staff led by coach Risto Vidakovic, and of course, the inspiration borne out of support of our families and fans, who never fail to make their presence felt whether its at Panaad Stadium or on social media. The management team led by club administrator Nicolas Golez also do a fantastic job with our hosting in the PFL and in the AFC Cup. This year has been a historic one for Philippine football to say the least. It is our hope that a first ever qualification in the AFC Asian Cup last March for our national team will hopefully give football another shot in the arm in the country. I am extending my congratulations to our Ceres players who were part of the Azkals. Our very own, Kevin Ingreso, actually scored a goal against Tajikistan to help clinch qualification. Manny Ott, Mike Ott, Jeffrey Christiaens, Carlie De Murga, Patrick Reichelt, Sean Kane, Junior Munoz and Paul Mulders were all members of that squad that punched the ticket to the tournament in Dubai next year together with former Ceres player, Iain Ramsay. Amani Aguinaldo, Curt Dizon, Stephan Schrock, Roland Muller and Martin Steuble were also selected in matches at the early part of the qualifying campaign that started way back in 2015. Having accomplished our mission in the PFL, we now shift our focus on the AFC Cup in the hope that we go further than we did last year when we won the Asean zone. The victory against Home United last year gave us a proud moment since it is a first for a football club in the country. Coach Risto and his staff work diligently to deliver results with respect and class, while Nicolas and his team go the extra mile to ensure the best experience possible and safety for supporters at Panaad. We respect Home United, but we remain focused in our goal of keeping the ASEAN zone title. I am also taking this opportunity to express gratitude to the players and personnel who have been part of the club the past few years. We greatly appreciate your contributions and please know that you will always be part of the family. To the new players and members of the management team, we welcome you to the family. We are also grateful for the support of the Province of Negros Occidental and the City Government of Bacolod. These are exciting times for the club and everyone involved in this journey will always have my utmost respect and appreciation. Thank you very much.
LEO REY YANSON
CERES-NEGROS FC CHAIRMAN
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CHAMPS AGAIN
RELENTLESS CERES ROLLS TO BACK-TO-BACK PFL CROWNS
The Busmen savor a vital away victory against Kaya Iloilo at Iloilo Sports Complex, where they virtually sealed the league title in the middle of July.
inning the inaugural Philippines Football League last season will always be a cherished achievement for CeresW Negros. But ruling the league for the second straight year with three games to spare amid a compressed schedule that saw the Busmen Impressively Juggle the AFC Cup and PFL has given the club another reason to celebrate. Relentless from start to finish, coach Risto Vidakovic’s side turned a marathon into a sprint, leaving no doubt that it is the top football club in the country. An emphatic 6-1 victory over Global Cebu last July 25 at Rizal Memorial Stadium sealed the crown for the Busmen, who built an unassailable 21-point lead at the top of the table against second place Kaya-Iloilo. In truth, the title may have been won a couple of weeks earlier at the Iloilo Sports Complex, where Patrick Reichelt’s early strike boosted the Busmen to a 1-0 win over the Iloilo side, which was reduced to 10 men in the first half of a critical encounter.
Midfielder Kevin Ingreso stays calm under pressure
oilo club won’t have enough matches to catch up with Ceres. More than securing the crown, the Busmen also captured a playoff spot in the prestigious AFC Champions League next year. A gutsy 3-1 away win over the Davao Aguilas in Tagum was followed by two straight victories over Global, which essentially wrapped up the title for the Busmen, who started the season with five straight triumphs. “It wasn’t an easy season so this makes this win even more beautiful,” said defender Carlie De Murga.
That victory gave Ceres the cushion it needed to wrap up the title early and with Kaya losing to Stallion Laguna on the third weekend of July, the opportunity opened up for the Busmen, who wanted to win the league ahead of the AFC Cup Asean zone final against Home United.
“As you know, the schedule was too tight with the traveling and all so credit to the players and the management and everyone who cooperated and gave their best for the club. We have an amazing result since we won the league a few games in advance. We’re really happy with this achievement.”
With each team playing 25 matches this season, the victory meant the Il-
Unlike other PFL teams, the Busmen started their season as early
as January when they saw action in the AFC Champions League preliminary round against Shan United of Myanmar. Since then, they’ve gone on to play 33 matches in six months in all competitions with an impressive record of 24 wins, four draws and five losses. The two losses came in the PFL to Kaya at home at Panaad and JPV Marikina. Still, this was a remarkable achievement for the club, which managed to keep its core players despite interest overseas. Although key players struggled with injuries, several standouts also returned to power the squad to huge wins. Fully recovered from various injuries, a rejuvenated Reichelt knocked in important goals, while Martin Steuble proved that he remained one of the finest utility players in the country with outstanding performances at midfield and in defense. Stephan Schrock, Omid Nazari and Kevin Ingreso consistently provided the dynamism needed at midfield. Manny Ott’s return to form was momentarily disrupted by a surgery on his face following an injury in the middle of the season, but he came back strongly to help put the finishing touches in the inspiring triumph. While Bienvenido Maranon regularly scored goals before taking a break near the tailend of the campaign, OJ Porteria, Mike Ott and Takumi Uesato
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As you know, the schedule was too tight with the traveling and all so credit to the players and the management and everyone who cooperated and gave their best for the club. We have an amazing result since we won the league a few games in advance. We’re really happy with this achievement
COMPOSED. Fernando Rodriguez calmly converts the penalty that stunned JDT Coach Risto Vidakovic draws praise from De Murga: “He’s the best coach in Southeast Asia”
CARLIE DE MURGA all had their moments of brilliance during the course of the campaign. The return of Amani Aguinaldo from a knee injury in May couldn’t have come at a better time as Vidakovic struggled for options at the backline. The Serbian coach effectively shuffled Sean Kane, Junior Munoz, Jeffrey Christiaens and De Murga in defense with Super Herrera battling an injury for most of the campaign. Toni Doblas proved his mettle, winning games with spectacular shotstopping and his command at the back when the attack struggled in several matches. Anticipating a challenging finish
to the year with the Copa Paulino Alcantara and the AFC Cup Asean zone final still to be played, the club recalled veteran Paul Mulders and goalkeeper Roland Muller and added Australian striker Blake Powell, Curt Dizon and Jerry Barbaso to the squad. De Murga said the past few months have been demanding physically for the team. But instead of cracking under pressure, the challenges have actually deepened their bond as a team. “As you know as all in the families there are always problems and in this family, it was also difficult,” admitted De Murga. “But because of that difficulty we became stronger.” Indeed, the Busmen were toughened by battles on the domestic and international fronts. De Murga paid tribute to Vidakovic’s influence on the squad. “He’s the best coach in Southeast Asia for me,” said the defender, who was instrumental in bringing the former La Liga player turned mentor to the club. “Everything that he does is always for the team. Every piece that he touches is always for the betterment of the team and hopefully we can keep him much longer.” The Busmen can now move on, chasing loftier goals, beaming with pride.
Ceres’ OJ Porteria (right) fights for possession against former teammate Masa Omura of Kaya Iloilo
“It gives us confidence to win every game because we are the champions of the Philippines,” said De Murga. “We represent the country. We want to make everyone proud of us.” BR
/6 Ceres midfielder Omid Nazari and Home United counterpart Song Ui-young will battle it out once more in the AFC Cup Asean zone final.
ROAD TO THE AFC CUP ASEAN ZONE FINAL
BUSMEN TARGET ANOTHER TITLE familiar opponent awaits Ceres Negros in its bid for back-to-back AAtitles in the AFC Cup Asean zone final. Singapore’s Home United stands in the way of the Busmen’s bid of retaining their crown with the two legs of the final set to be played on August 1 at Panaad Stadium and the return leg exactly a week later at Jalan Besar Stadium. It will be the fifth and sixth meetings between the two clubs over the past two editions of the AFC Cup with Ceres snatching a come-from-behind 3-2 victory in the two-legged finals last year. The Busmen enter the final on a positive note after winning the Philippines Football League crown with three games to spare. “The league title gives us more motivation to keep winning in the AFC Cup,” said defender Carlie De Murga. “If we win it twice in a row, its going to be an amazing achievement.” The AFC Cup draw saw the Busmen land in Group F along with Home United, Shan United of Myanmar and Boeung Ket of Cambodia. The Busmen Review retraces what has been an arduous road back to the ASEAN zone finals for Ceres-Negros. A FABULOUS START
STALEMATE IN SG
After failing to make it to the group stage of the AFC Champions League, the Busmen returned to action in the AFC Cup in style, walloping Boeung Ket FC of Cambodia, 9-0.
In a rematch of last year’s AFC Cup Asean zonal final, Ceres-Negros and Home United battled to a 1-1 draw on Match Day 2.
The Negros squad were 5-0 up at the break after goals Bienvenido Maranon, Takumi Uesato, and OJ Porteria. Manny Ott and Carlie De Murga also found the back of the net as Ceres equalled the largest winning margin in AFC Cup history.
Patrick Reichelt won a penalty for the Busmen early, but Bienvenido Maranon’s spot kick only rattled the post. Home also earned a penalty through Amy Recah with veteran Shahril Ishak giving the Singaporeans the lead from the spot. But Super Herrera rescued the Bus-
Manny Ott fires a shot against the Shan United defense.
men’s blushes with a 78th minute header, keeping Ceres at the top of the group. DOUBLE OVER SHAN Two gritty wins over Shan United ensured the Busmen remained on top heading into the last two match days of the Group F. Ceres had actually knocked out Shan United via penalties in the AFC Champions League preliminary stage last January. Knowing the Myanmar champions’ abilities to stifle opponents and quality up front, Busmen knew they would need to be at their best over the course of the two matches. It took seventy-nine minutes before Ceres-Negros broke the deadlock in the home leg at Panaad Stadium. Lazy defending by Shan allowed Patrick Reichelt to slot in the opening goal, before Mike Ott delivered one of the highlights of the campaign so far in setting up Maranon for the second goal. The midfielder danced through three defenders before ha laid the game winning assist to Maranon who slotted the ball home.
The return leg in Yangon turned out to be a far more difficult challenge for the squad, which played under searing conditions. Maranon was on target again, converting a spot kick early in the first half, following a handball inside the area. Goalkeeper Toni Doblas proved his worth with a string of spectacular saves in the second half as Ceres kept another clean sheet and picked up maximum points. ALL BUSINESS IN PHNOM PENH The Busmen set out to virtually secure qualification to the knockout round when they battled Boeung Ket in the Cambodian capital. A hat trick from Maranon and another late strike from Takumi Uesato completed a 4-0 victory under more ideal conditions this time. But with Home United also beating Shan United, it remained all to play for in the battle for top spot in Group F heading into the final match day at Panaad Stadium.
cancelled out the Sylla goal with a header but the Guinean proved persistent and scored another to set-up a thrilling second leg in Yangon. Back in the Myanmar capital for the third time this year, the Busmen set out to finish off Yangon United in the second leg of the semifinals at Thuwunna Stadium. But the Burmese side got off to an incredible start thanks to a second minute strike from Kosuke Uchida. The Busmen responded with a Manny Ott goal six minutes later. The midfielder played a one-two with
GOALS, DRAMA IN YANGON Ceres-Negros got off to a rousing start in its two-legged semifinal clash against Group G winners Yangon United. Before another big Panaad crowd, Bienvenido Maranon bagged a brace in a 4-2 victory. Maranon opened the scoring, before Patrick Reichelt doubled the lead when he pounced on a free ball off a Mike Ott attempt. Maranon made it 3-0 after sweeping in a deflected ball to the back of the net. But the Myanmar side kept things interesting. Seykou Sylla pulled one back for after he was allowed some space in the early in the second half. Super Herrera
Bienvenido Maranon’s cheeky strike gave the Busmen a three-goal cushion, but the Spanish striker was sent off for taunting the home side while celebrating his goal. Two late goals from Yangon put the match back on the edge, but the Busmen ultimately pulled through to reach the finals for the second straight year and setting up another duel with Home United. Unfortunately for the Busmen, Maranon will serve a two-game ban in the final due to his red card. BR
Bienvenido Maranon (No. 7) celebrates one of his competition-leading 10 goals.
FRUSTRATING NIGHT With qualification in the bag after the results in other groups went in its favor, Ceres-Negros seemed poised to end the group stage on a positive note against Home United. The Busmen dominated possession in the first half with Omid Nazari hitting the woodwork. Maranon and Stephan Schrock all had clear chances denied, before Izzdin Shafiq finally gave the visitors the lead in the second half through a free kick. Home sealed the win with a penalty minutes later to claim top spot in Group F, while Ceres advanced as the best second-placed team among the three Asean zone groups.
Stephen Schrock, before curling the ball to the bottom corner.
More than his shotstopping, Toni Doblas provides leadership and command at the back.