Group A: Casa Benfica 4-2 Rovers FC
Bishkek: Macau’s Casa Benfica powered past Rovers FC of Guam on Sunday to seal a 4-2 win which helped them take top spot in Group A of the 2017 AFC Cup Play-off Qualifiers.
The comfortable victory saw head coach Henrique Nunes’ charges leapfrog host club Dordoi FC and, with only the group winners assured of progression to the next phase of qualifying, set up a winner-takes-all clash against their Tajik rivals on Tuesday.
By way of contrast, the defeat saw Rovers FC end their campaign with a second defeat to their name following Friday’s defeat at the hands of Dordoi.
Carlos Leonel opened the scoring for Casa Benfica with only five minutes gone at the Dordoi Sports Centre thanks to a neat turn and finish from 12 yards.
Leonel then doubled his tally a mere four minutes later, this time firing home from close range following a pinpoint Nicholas Torrao cross, before Macau’s champions extended their advantage yet again on 33 minutes as Torrao stooped low to head home Jose’s Felipe’s delivery from the left.
Casa Benfica duly added a fourth courtesy of Chan Man’s 74th minute penalty after his cross had been handled by Rovers defender Paul Bourke.
Rovers rallied briefly in the wake of Lei Chi Kin dismissal for a second bookable offence, as Jason Cunliffe’s accurate free-kick and Brandon McDonalds powerful header reduced the deficit with 84 minutes on the clock.
It was, however, too little too late for the Guam outfit as Casa Benfica held firm to set up their crunch encounter with Dordoi.
Group B: Three Star Club 2-0 Erchim FC
Ulaanbaatar: Nepal’s Three Star Club beat Mongolia’s Erchim FC 2-0 on Sunday to begin their 2017 AFC Cup Play-off Qualifiers campaign in fine style.
The Nepali side now top Group B and can assure themselves of a spot in the next phase of qualifying with a win over Cambodia’s Nagaworld FC on Tuesday.
Ajayi Martins Kayode gave Three Star the lead against Erchim on 14 minutes, the striker seizing on a dreadful handling error by host goalkeeper Ariunbold Natsaikhan to fire home into an empty net.
Three Star duly secured all three points in the 76th minute when captain Bikram Lama rose highest at the far post to convert Sunil Bai’s corner with a thumping header.
Group C: Tatung FC 0-0 FC Tertons
Thimphu: Chinese Taipei’s Tatung FC and FC Tertons of Bhutan had to be content with a goalless draw in their AFC Cup 2017 Play-off Qualifiers campaign opener on Sunday.
Both sides could not find any opening in the Group C game at Changlimithang Stadium, Thimphu, Bhutan, with Tatung now looking to open their account in their next game against last year’s AFC Cup Preliminary Round contenders Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra Limited of Bangladesh on Tuesday.
Tertons, meanwhile, will be taking on the Bangladeshi club in the group’s last tie on Thursday.
Photo: Dordoi FC