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AFC Cup 2018: Group Stage Matchday Five Review: ASEAN Zone

The AFC Cup 2018 saw some exciting action in the fifth matchday in the ASEAN Zone. Here is a recap of what happened: 

GROUP F: 


Boeung Ket 0-4 Ceres Negros (Marañon 36', 38', 69' Uesato 84')

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Ceres Negros assured themselves of a spot in the top two in Group after a 4-0 dismantling of Cambodian outfit Boeung Ket on Wednesday, thanks to a hat-trick from Bienvenido Maranon. 

Maranon opened the scoring with a strike from inside the area in the 36th minute before doubling his tally two minutes later. He found the back of the net expertly after OJ Porteria had teed him up. 

With the home team providing no resistance, he completed his hat-trick in the 69th minute after Porteria set him up yet again. Substitute Takumi Uesato's goal in the 84th minute was the icing on the cake as Ceres stay three points clear of their closest challengers in Group F. 


Home United FC 3-2 Shan United FC (Roslan 19' Ui-young 25'  Ishak 39' - Min Tun 9' Chizoba 28')


A manic first half which produced five goals was enough as Singapore's Home United defeated Myanmar's Shan United 3-2 on Wednesday to stay in hunt for the top spot in Group F. 

It was the visitors who took the lead in the ninth minute when Win Hein Phyo’s cross was tapped in by Zin Min Tun. But Home United hit back ten minutes later. Faizal Roslan looped a loose ball into the box and the defenders' attempts to clear it away failed and the ball found its way to the back of the net. But Song Ui-young made it 2-1 for the home side with a tap in from Camara's cross across the box. 

But Chizoba equalised in the 28th minute after he muscled his way into the box to finish past the goalkeeper. But Home United retook the lead in the 39th minute when Shahril Ishak scored a spectacular scissor-kick volley. Home United are three points behind Ceres Negros with a game to play. 

GROUP G: 


Global Cebu FC 3-3 Thanh Hoa (Rufo 6' dos Santos 82' Roberts 90' - Ofere 2' Binh 25' Tung 57')


Philippine's Global Cebu produced an amazing comeback to hold FLC Thanh Hoa 3-3 in an exciting clash on Wednesday in the continent. 

FLC Thanh Hoa got off to a dream start when they opened the scoring in the second minute. Ryutaro Karube played a chipped pass for Edward Ofere who made no mistake to give the lead to the Vietnamese side. Four minutes later, we had parity when Spaniard Rufino Sanchez latched on to a long ball and scored a stunning volley. 

But Thanh Hoa took control of the game with two goals through Le Thanh Binh and Hoang Dinh Tung which made the scoreline 3-1 in the visitors' favour. But there would be a twist in the tale as Wesley dos Santos headed home Paolo Bugas’ cross with ten minutes to go. Daryl Roberts equalised in dramatic fashion with a header in the 90th minute, a result which eliminated both teams. 


Yangon United FC 3-2 Bali United FC​ (Maung 44' Uzochukwu 58' Sylla 73' - Spasojevic 11' Sukarja 36')


Indonesia's Bali United's hopes of progression were dashed by Myanmar's Yangon United who sealed their spot as Group G champions with a 3-2 win over Bali United on Wednesday. 

It was the home team who got off to a flying start when Ilija Spasojevic headed home a cross from Ricky Fajrin in the 11th minute. They would go on to double their lead in the 36th minute when Nyoman Sukarja latched on to a flicked goal kick and found the back of the net from inside the area. 

But Yangon United would produce a scintillating response. First, Maung Maung Lwin pulled a goal back before Uzochukwu Emmanuel danced his way past the Bali United defence to make it 2-2. In the 73rd minute, Sekou Sylla had the simple task of finishing off Maung Maung Lwin's cross across the box to complete the comeback. 

GROUP H:


Song Lam Nghe An FC 2-1 Tampines Rovers (Olaha 16' Tuan Tai 75' - Najeeb 38')


Vietnamese outfit Song Lam Nghe An claimed a vital win with a 2-1 result over Singapore's Tampines Rovers on Tuesday. 

The home team were the better side from the outset and took the lead in the 15th minute through Nigerian striker Michael Olaha who headed home a corner from Dau Thanh Phong. But Tampines Rovers equalised in the 38th minute. Japanese midfielder Ryutaro Megumi's ball into the box was headed in by Irfan Najeeb with the goalkeeper stranded. 

But the home side found the winner in the 75th minute when a loose clearance fell to Ho Tuan Tai who poked home to give all three points to the Vietnamese side. They are now level on top of the group with 10 points. 


Persija Jakarta 4-0 Johor Darul Ta'zim (Simic 8' 12' 19' 87')


Indonesia's Persija Jakarta went top of the group with a 4-0 demolition of Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim on Tuesday. 

Both teams needed a win to keep pace with Song Lam Nghe An but it was the home team who started with intent and they made the early domination count. Marko Simic got on the end of a perfectly weighted cross from Riko Simanjuntak and fired Persija into the lead in the 8th minute. He doubled their lead with a thunderous header from Rezaldi Hehanusa’s pinpoint free-kick, just four minutes later. 

In the 19th minute, he completed his hat-trick Riko and Ramandi Lestaluhu set up Simic to leave Johor in disbelief. Late on, Simic would score a fourth goal from the penalty spot as the Malaysian side wilted away. They cannot finish top of the group as of now. 

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