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Ceres, three other UFL clubs in "group of death" of PFF-Smart Championship

From Ceres FC's Facebook page
By Ivan Saldajeno

Ceres has found itself on a tough road to accomplish a three-peat in the PFF-Smart Club Championship.

The defending champion from Bacolod will join fellow UFL squads Loyola, Kaya, and Laos, which represents Leyte, in what many tout as the "group of death" of the preliminary stage of the tournament after the draw was made.

The other seeded team, Global, will have Stallion, which represents Iloilo, and the two non-UFL clubs in the tournament, Cebu's Erco-Bro and North Cotabato's M'Lang, in its own group.

"I think it’s a tough group and we look forward to it,” said Ceres coach Ali Go after the result of the draw.

He added, “Anyone can win this group. If you don’t play 100 percent and you don’t get lucky, you may end up fourth. So we have to play 200 percent.”

Meanwhile, Global mentor Leigh Manson does not want to underestimate the fellow members of his club's group, which, save for Stallion, are relatively inferior.

"We can’t be complacent. We have to treat each club with respect," Manson said.

Action begins tomorrow at the Rizal Memorial Stadium with Loyola and Laos clashing at 4 P.M. and Ceres, which could banner new prized recruit Martin Steuble, and Kaya battling at 7 P.M.