AFTER a week of break from its 2018 AFC Cup bid, local side Global Cebu FC treks back to the field today, facing off with Group G leader Yangon United FC in an away match in Myanmar.

Currently at the bottom of the grouping with one point from a 0-1-1 record, Global enters Match Day 3 with a “now or never” mind-set, recognizing that continued slippage in the tournament could cause its chances in advancing to the next round of the tournament.

As per tournament format, in the group stage only the top team is assured of automatic qualification to the next round.

In its previous match on Feb. 27 here at home at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, Global was held to a 1-1 draw by Bali United FC.

Global got off to a good start against Bali, beating the visitors to the punch with an early goal care of Curt Dizon at the 11th minute.

Bali though stayed the course despite falling a goal behind and kept on with its attack.

Its efforts paid off at the 74th minute as Ilija Spasojevic leveled the count at 1-1 with a header off a corner.

Bali had a chance to add on to it and claim the win minutes later with a penalty shot but Global goalkeeper Patrick Deyto proved up to the challenge and made the key save before the two teams settled for the draw.

The draw earned the two competing teams a point each for joint third place in Group G, behind leader Yangon United FC (2-0-0) with six points and FLC Thanh Hoa (1-0-1) with three points.

With less room to slip moving forward, Global said it will try hard to get as many wins as it can in its remaining assignments and hope it would be enough to get the team through.

“We have to be better prepared, now we really have to win the next few games. We’ll just get as many points as we can in the next games, and hopefully, it will be enough for us to go to the next round,” Mr. Deyto said after their draw with Bali United.

Waiting for Global is Yangon United, which has been on a roll in the tournament, undefeated so far in its first two matches.

It is coming off a 2-1 win over Vietnam’s FLC Thanh Hoa last week with Aee Soe providing the marginal goal late in the game to preserve their clean slate.

Kickoff of the Global-Yangon United match is at 3:30 p.m., local time. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

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