Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Singapore: Home United started Singapore’s National Day celebrations a day early by being crowned the 2018 AFC Cup ASEAN Zonal Champions after an historic 2-0 win over Filipino champions Ceres Negros in the second leg of their final on Wednesday.
Locked at 1-1 from the first leg last week, second half goals from Shakir Hamzah and Song Ui-young sealed the 3-1 aggregate win for the Singaporean side, earning them a spot in the Inter-Zone Semi-finals where they will face DPR Korea powerhouse 4.25 SC.
It was the visitors, who needed to win to defend their ASEAN Zonal title, who started the brighter of the two teams with Carli de Murga heading just wide from Stephan Schrock’s free-kick in the fourth minute.
Schrock attempted to turn provider again just over five minutes later with a cute outside-of-the-foot cross for Patrick Reichelt, but the winger saw his effort well saved by Home United custodian Rudy Khairullah.
Ceres’ Spanish defender Súper came agonisingly close to opening the scoring midway through the first half, but saw his diving header smash off the crossbar as the visitors pushed hard to find the opening goal they needed.
There was another smash late in the half when Reichelt and Rudy collided when challenging for the ball in the box, a collision that saw the Ceres winger stretchered from the field and play stopped for a lengthy period.