Despite blowout vs Cebu, Selangor misses ACL 2 KO stages

Alvin Fortes still had something to smile after scoring the dagger goal for Selangor before finding out about Muangthong's win in Bangkok. AFC

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--Selangor closed its campaign in the AFC Champions League 2 group stages with a 4-0 win against Dynamic Herb Cebu on Thursday night at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

However, it was still not enough for Selangor to make the knockout phase as Muangthong stunned Jeonbuk, 1-0, to seal the second seed in Group H.

Appeared to be having a hard time against Cebu's defense in the first half, Selangor finally got one past Jun Badelic as Yohandry Orozco scored the opening goal in the 44th minute.

The floodgates then opened in the second half with Orozco completing his brace in the 48th minute.

Nooa Laine made it 3-0 in the 57th minute before Alvin Fortes sealed Selangor's win with a 79th-minute goal.

However, their victorious mood was quickly dampened when they found out that Muangthong held on at home against Jeonbuk at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok.

Purachet Thodsanit literally closed the first half with a goal to put Muangthong ahead as Jeonbuk, despite having a better second half, could not snatch a point on the road.

Selangor needed a win and a Muangthong non-win to qualify for the knockout stages.

Jeonbuk still finished on top of Group H with 12 points, while Muangthong was second with 11, Selangor was third with 10, and Cebu finished last with only one point, a shock draw against Muangthong in their first-round meeting.

Meanwhile, Kaya Iloilo also dropped its last ACL 2 assignment against Sydney, 1-3, at the Netstrata Jubilee Stadium in Sydney.

Adrian Segeric opened the scoring for Sydney with a 38th-minute goal before Patrick Wood made it 2-0 right before halftime.

Jaiden Kucharski capped Sydney's offensive juggernaut with a 75th-minute strike.

Robert Lopez Mendy netted one for Kaya in the 85th minute.

With Sanfrecce Hiroshima beating Hong Kong Eastern, 4-1, Kaya Iloilo finished third in Group E with four points, behind playoff-bound Sanfrecce Hiroshima, which topped the group with 16 points, and Sydney (12).

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