United City, Kaya end 2021 AFC Champions League stint
Originally published by Rappler
United City FC and Kaya FC close out their maiden AFC Champions League campaigns
Philippine clubs United City FC and Kaya FC made their 2021 AFC Champions League exits in their maiden appearances in the top continental club football tournament on Sunday, July 11.
Daegu FC crushed United City’s hopes with a 4-0 win at the Bunyodkor Stadium in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The four-time Philippines Football League (PFL) champions failed to advance to the knockout stage as they sit at third place in Group I with one win, one draw, and four losses.
United City held off Daegu for the first 37 minutes until Nishi Tsubasa opened the scoreline by capitalizing on through ball from Cesinha.
Having stirred the Philippine club’s defense, Daegu came out stronger in the second half as Lee Keunho doubled the lead with tap-in in the 47th minute.
The South Korean club finally took control of the game as Edgar Bruno da Silva buried an emphatic goal off a buildup in the 57th minute and Jung Chi-in also fired one with a clinical finish in the 73rd minute.
In their first matchup, United City absorbed a 7-0 beating from Daegu, who is at second place behind Kawasaki Frontale in the group with 12 points.
Meanwhile, Kaya FC lost to Viettel FC, 0-1, at the Leo Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Iloilo-based club will be going home winless from the AFC Champions League, having lost all six of its matches in Group F.
Kaya was reduced to nine men after Simone Rota and Masa Omura picked up back-to-back red cards in the second half, leading to Brazilian striker Caique capitalizing on the shorthanded squad. – Rappler.com