Global FC and Tampines Rovers to set ACL 2017 ball rolling

Manila: With the 2017 edition of the AFC Champions League scheduled to begin on Tuesday, join the-afc.com as we take a closer look at the two teams appearing in the opening instalment of this season's competition.

What: AFC Champions League Preliminary Stage 1 â€“ Global FC v Tampines Rovers
Where: Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, Manila, Philippines

THE TEAMS

Global FC

Global FC are the first team from the Philippines to compete in Asia’s premier club competition.

They earned a ticket to the Preliminary Stage after winning last season’s United Football League title.

Global also won the United Football League Cup crown in 2016 after beating Ceres Negros FC 3-1.

Global FC featured in the Group Stage of the 2015 AFC Cup, finishing third in Group G after registering one win and two draws in their six games.

Tampines Rovers

Tampines Rovers qualified for this stage after finishing runners-up to Albirex Niigata (S) in the S-League in 2016.

The Stags will be taking take part in the first phase of the AFC Champions League’s Preliminary Stage for a second consecutive season.

Tampines lost to India’s Mohun Bagan in last year’s Preliminary Stage 1 tie but went on to reach the AFC Cup quarter-finals for a fourth time.

“We want to test ourselves at a higher level, it’s great exposure and bodes well for the future with the experience we would gather from such a match.” Tampines Rovers coach Akbar Nawas

WHAT NEXT?
The winner of the game will face Australia’s Brisbane Roar in an AFC Champions League Preliminary Stage 2 fixture. The successful team from that tie will then meet Shanghai Shenhua in the competition’s Play-off phase with a spot in Group E up for grabs.

Photos: Tampines Rovers FC / Global FC / Anton Sheker

Source: the-afc.com

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