Philippine Clubs Make Historic Hosting Debut in AFC Champions League and AFC Cup

Last week marked a historic milestone for Philippine club football as Kaya FC-Iloilo, Dynamic Herb Cebu FC, and Stallion Laguna FC all successfully hosted their inaugural AFC Champions League and AFC Cup matches.

Kaya kicked off the week by hosting the first-ever AFC Champions League match in the country against Shandong Taishan FC of China PR. The game was also remarkable as it introduced Video Assistant Referee technology for the first time in the Philippines.

Despite a 1-3 loss to the Chinese side, Kaya made history as Jarvey Gayoso scored the first Filipino goal in the AFC Champions League on home turf.

Stallion Laguna and Dynamic Herb Cebu made their AFC Cup debuts against Bali United from Indonesia and Phnom Penh Crown from Cambodia, respectively. Although both teams suffered defeats, optimism remains high among Stallion’s head coach Ernie Nierras and Cebu’s CEO and GM Ugur Tasci.

Nierras expressed pride in hosting the match in Biñan, Laguna, highlighting the support of their fans. The lakeside squad saw goals from Junior Sam and Abraham Placito during the game.

Tasci acknowledged the learning experience from their first match and emphasized looking forward to improving in upcoming games.

The three Philippine clubs will continue their campaign in the Copa Paulino Alcantara 2023 quarterfinals first leg later this week, showcasing the growing presence of Filipino football on the regional stage.