Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: The 15th edition of the AFC Cup will see 36 teams battle it out for the right to be crowned continental champions at the end of October as the contenders aim to wrestle the trophy away from back-to-back winners Air Force Club of Iraq.
The group stage of the competition kicks off on Saturday with two games from the ASEAN Zone, where 12 teams have been placed into three groups and regional rivalry will only add to the intensity of the fixtures.
Group F
Shan United (pictured below) will make their continental bow on Tuesday when they host Singapore’s Home United on the back of claiming their first Myanmar National League title in their history.
The visitors have plenty pedigree in the AFC Cup, having reached the semi-finals back in 2004, two quarter-finals and, most recently, the ASEAN Zonal final in 2017 before being defeated by Ceres Negros of the Philippines.
The pair will meet again after Ceres (pictured above), who were eventually beaten in the Inter-Zone semi-finals last year, were also drawn in Group F, where they will start their own proceedings with a home fixture against Cambodia’s Boeungket Angkor.
Back for a second successive season after winning their third domestic league title, Boeungket will look to improve on last year’s campaign when they won just one of their six group stage matches.
Shan United (MYA) v Home United (SIN)
Venue: Thuwunna Stadium, Yangon
Kick-off: February 13, 16:00 (UTC+6:30)
Ceres Negros (PHI) v Boeungket Angkor (CAM)
Venue: Pana’ad Park and Stadium, Bacolod City
Kick-off: February 13, 19:30 (UTC+8)
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/shan_united_3.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/bali_united.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/johor_darul_tazim_1.html
