Brisbane Roar FC will make history on Tuesday night at Suncorp Stadium as they become the first team to host a Philippines representative in an AFC Asian Champions League qualifier against Global FC.
In an exciting clash for the home fans in Manila last week, Global defeated Tampines Rovers of Singapore 2-0 in the first preliminary round of qualifiers at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
The win ensured Global FC advance to a sudden death playoff this Tuesday night at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium against a Roar side currently third in the Hyundai A-League.
Ahamd Azzawi opened the scoring for Global just after the hour mark before Misagh Bahadoran confirmed the win 12 minutes later.
The prize for Brisbane Roar or Global is a final ACL qualifier against Gus Poyet’s Shanghai Shenhua in China on Wednesday, February 8 – a side that now features Argentinian striker Carlos Tevez (below).
Brisbane after a thrilling home victory against the Wanderers last Saturday must quickly turn their attention to their ACL qualifier against Global FC.
The Philippines-based side, who are three-time United Football league champions took to the continent’s biggest club competition without stress, pushing Tampines Rovers, runners-up in the S-League last year, back from the beginning.
Tampines, home to former Liverpool and England star Jermaine Pennant last season, struggled at first to cope with the 4-4-1-1 formation employed by new coach Toshiaki Imai.
The Japanese tactician has a varied coaching CV with stints in charge of J.League club Kawasaki Frontale as well as the national teams of Mongolia and Chinese Taipei.
The Roar playing at home will be looking to dominate the game from the first minute but will have to work hard to nullify the opposition’s key contributors.
The link-up play between Global’s two attackers, Misagh Bahadoran, an Iranian-born regular for the Azkals – as the national team is nicknamed – and Ahamd Azzawi worked well from the beginning against Tampines Rovers in Manila last week.
It was no surprise that it was these two players that got on the scoresheet in the second half of their match against Tampines.
As well as the front two, Brisbane will need to keep an eye on centre-back Amani Aguinaldo who enjoyed a titanic struggle with veteran Singapore international Khairul Amri.
Last Tuesday in Manila, Aguinaldo played alongside the veteran Dutch-born defender Paul Mulders who marshalled the Global back-line.
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Global, who are between seasons, will be fresh and desperate to pull off what would be the greatest result in the history of Philippines club football at Suncorp Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Philippines-based side will head to Brisbane excited and with confidence hoping to defeat the Roar on their home turf and progress to the final stage of qualifying for the AFC Asian Champions League 2017 group stage.
Tuesday’s ACL qualifier at Suncorp Stadium between the Roar and Global FC will kick-off at 7pm QLD Time.
