By Jonas Terrado
Ceres-Negros settled for a 2-2 draw with Vietnam’s Than Quang Ninh but maintained its hold on top spot in Group G of the AFC Cup at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
Ceres-Negros’ Manny Ott battles a counterpart from Vietnam’s Than Quang Ninh for ball possession during Tuesday’s AFC Cup match at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. (Photo from Ceres-Negros)
Bienvenido Maranon and OJ Porteria scored in the second half to help the Busmen erase a 1-0 deficit but Quang Ninh equalized on a Nguyen Hay Hui equalizer, forcing the Philippines Football League side to share the spoils with its Vietnamese counterpart.
The result, however, kept Ceres on top of the group with four points after Cambodia’s Preah Khan Svay Rieng stunned Indonesian champion Bali United 2-1 in Phnom Penh.
Svay Rieng and Bali United are level at three points apiece, with the Indonesian club in second place on goal difference.
Ceres fell behind in the 26th minute when Jamaican Jeremie Lynch struck the opener off a through ball, his second goal of the competition.
But Maranon leveled things up with a spot kick shortly before halftime for the Spanish striker’s third goal of the campaign.
Porteria made it 2-1 for the Ceres in the 62nd, only for Quang Ninh to tie the score eight minutes later on Hai Huy’s goal.
Source: Manila Bulletin
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