By Ram Christian Agustin
After dominating and ending up as victors in two Philippine Football League championships for 2017 and 2018, the Ceres-Negros Football Club will be battling in a domestic double for the Copa Paulino Alcantara- the first cup club competition in the Philippines announced to kick off on September 1.
The competition’s Group A will be composed of Ceres-Negros, Davao Aguilas, and Stallion Laguna while Group B consists of Kaya-Iloilo, JPV Marikina and Global-Cebu.
Ceres Negros will battle Davao Aguilas in the second match at the Rizal Memorial Stadium after an initial showdown of Kaya-Iloilo and Global Cebu at the same field.
“It’s a new tournament. Whatever the result of the league, it doesn’t matter anymore,” said Coach Noel
Marcaida of Kaya FC.
The Copa Paulino Alcantara cup will have a pool of six PFL Clubs in a double-round robin where the top two teams from groups A and B will climb to the competition’s next stage.
“It’s all about progression. As long as we are progressing then we can be happy,” said Davao Aguilas’
team captain Phil Younghusband on their chances in winning the cup.
“If you look at the past few games, obviously we are underdogs. I just arrived two weeks ago and I see
huge improvements in my squad,” said new Global-Cebus head coach Dragutin Stevic-Rankovic as their team is currently in a reassembling state with the addition of former Philippine Azkals member Anton Del Rosario.
The victors of the cup will snatch a spot in the Asian Football Competition (AFC) Cup Group Stage for
next year although Ceres-Negros has already secured the league title since their success in the PFL
leaving the remaining clubs eyeing the chance to secure a league title for themselves.
The Copa Paulino Alcantara is the first club cup competition in the Philippines under the supervision of
Liga Futbol Inc. (LFI) and is promising to be a fast-paced action-packed arena of football clashes.