THE AFC Cup Zonal 2-leg Finals is set on August 1 at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City and on August 8 at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore and defending champion Ceres Negros FC is up for the challenge to keep the title.
With tournament top scorer and striker Bienvenido Marañon out of the finals for two-game suspension and some teammates injured, the Busmen has fortified its roster by adding five quality players.
Returning keeper Roland Muller is expected to give first choice keeper Toni Doblas not only a tough backup custodian but some room to regenerate himself ahead on the next important match.
Muller played the first keeper when Ceres FC won the AFC Cup Zonal title last year but left due to family concerns.
Midfielder Paul Mulders has been part of the Ceres FC squad for three seasons before joining Global Cebu FC last year.
A huge lift for the Ceres FC is signing 27-year-old Australian striker Blake Powell who played for the Central Coast Mariners in the A-League. He was also part of the Sydney FC which saw action in the 2011 Asian Champions League. Powell is expected to provide additional firepower in the AFC Cup.
Ceres also signed up former Global FC forward/wingman, 24-year-old Curt Dizon, and 30-year-old defender Jerry Barbaso.
Having this new acquisition made Japanese forward Takumi Uesato expendable. Uesato, who performed below expectation after being out for a number of games in the Philippines Football League due to injury, was coming back to form until this new development.
Ceres FC is currently in rigid preparation for the upcoming Zonal Finals and is on top of the PFL standing.
If the Busmen succeed and advance to the Inter-Zone semi-finals, they will meet with North Korea on August 21 and 28.