MANILA, Philippines — Heavyweight opponents led by two-time champion Guangzhou Evergrande Taobo await United City FC when it competes in this year’s AFC Champions League.
United, the reigning Philippines Football League titlist, found itself in Group I in the company of Chinese powerhouse Guangzhou and reigning J1 League and Emperor’s Cup holder Kawasaki Frontale during yesterday’s virtual draw ceremonies.
The winner of the playoff match between South Korea’s Daegu or Thailand’s Chiangrai United will complete the cast in the April 21-May 7 group play set in a centralized venue.
United is the first Filipino club to enter the group stages of Asia’s top-flight club tournament, which was expanded to a 40-team field this year.
Kaya Iloilo will try to follow United in the Champions League but needs to hurdle back-to-back preliminary matches.
The PFL runners-up will try to get past Australia’s Brisbane Roar on April 7 to get a crack at China’s Beijing Guoan in an April 14 dispute for a spot in Group F.
If Kaya loses to Brisbane or Beijing, the Iloilo-based team will settle for a stint in the second-tier AFC Cup alongside Malaysia’s Terrengganu, Singapore’s Geylang FC and either Shan United or Ayeyawady United of Myanmar in Group I.