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| Lagardère Sports/AFC |
By Kevin Estrada
BACOLOD--South China used their Asian experience to the hilt, as they repulsed Ceres in extra time in their AFC Cup Round of 16 tie late Tuesday evening in Panaad Stadium.
Midfielder Luiz Carlos Vieira silenced the full house Bacolod crowd a minute into second half of extra time with his volley off Mahama Awal's cross as the Shaolin Temple of Hong Kong Premier League progressed to the quarterfinal for the second consecutive season.
Ceres' debut in the competition ended in a brutal fashion despite being unbeaten in the group stage, as UFL's sour record against Hong Kong counterparts in the competition went worse with the fifth setback in as many matches dating to last season.
Adrian Gallardo and Bienvenido Maranon would left to rue their missed chances, as they lost for the first time at home in an AFC competition since May 10, 2014, where Turkmenistan's HTTU Asghabat broke Bacolod hearts with a last minute winner in the President's Cup qualifying.
The visitors fired their warning shots right after the opening whistle, as their direct approach shocked the Busmen despite most of its starters are in their 30s, as their long balls and Chan Siu Ki's long throws giving Frank Muescan's men fits althroughout the match, but the backline led by Kim Sang Min hold their nerve.
But Ceres fight back with their shots of their own, but South China's defense also held firm as the first half ended in a goalless stalemate.
The dogfight continued into the restart and into the first half of extra time, but it turned out to be a goalkeeping battle with Tsang Man Fai and Louie Casas denying shot after shot in a drizzled atmosphere.
But the 33-year-old Brazilian had the final word straight into the second half of extra time as Chan forced Jason Sabio into a defensive mistake that started a South China counter-attack that ended with Carlos beating Casas with a thumping volley that brought delight into Ricardo Rambo and his side.
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