Qualifying round playoff showdown set for inaugural ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™

The inaugural ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ kicks off on Wednesday when Cambodia’s Svay Rieng FC take on Young Elephants FC from Laos and Shan United FC of Myanmar faces Kasuka FC from Brunei Darussalam in the first of the two-legged playoffs for the two remaining berths in the competition’s group phase.

The qualifying round playoff winners will join BG Pathum United FC of Thailand, Terengganu FC from Malaysia, Indonesia’s PSM Makassar and Vietnamese National Cup holders Dong A Thanh Hoa FC in Group A of the newly created competition featuring 14 leading clubs from 10 ASEAN countries.  The group phase is scheduled to begin on August 21.

“This first round of the Shopee Cup™ is very important for us,” says Svay Rieng coach Pep Munoz. “It’s an opportunity to play at a higher level, to play against other teams we don’t confront in the local league.

“This new competition is exciting for us. It’s something that we want to do, to go through to the group stage to put Cambodian football in a good position, and also the club. For the experience, for the players it will be very good to play in this competition.”

Munoz’s side travel to Vientiane for the first leg on July 17 before hosting the return in Phnom Penh one week later and the Spaniard is anticipating a significant challenge from the Laotians.

“Young Elephants will put everything on this game because it’s a good opportunity for them to be in the group stage,” he says.

“I saw them last season against Phnom Penh Crown and nobody expected the level that they had. I think they’ll be impressive and very brave to try to go through to the next round.”

Svay Rieng will be facing a club that was formed only nine years ago and who have qualified for the Shopee Cup™ by claiming the Lao League 1 title in 2023.

“Our expectation is to qualify to the group stage but it will be a very tough two games,” says Young Elephants coach Phoutpasong Sengdalavong. “Our opponent is good, they just won the Cambodian league but we’ll do our best to qualify for the next round.

“This is the first year of the competition and it’s good for the region. We’re proud to play in this competition. We are a club side but we’re representing the country also, so we’ll do our best.”

Kasuka will host the first leg of their clash with Shan United in Bandar Seri Begawan on July 17 before the teams meet in Yangon a week later with interim coach Mohamad Halimi expecting a tough task against the side from Myanmar.

“Playing in the Shopee Cup™ is something big, not only for the club but for the players and also for the country because this will help boost standards,” he says.

“We’re confident we can compete very well with Shan United and qualify for the group stage with the preparations that we have made and the players we have.”

However, Shan United coach Myo Hliang Win is upbeat about his own team’s hopes of progressing to the next phase.

“Our team are the current champions of the Myanmar National League and I believe our team is the number one locally, so I want to see us perform in foreign tournaments,” he says. “I’m confident our team will go to the group stage.”

The qualifying round playoff winners will advance to Group A while Thai champions Buriram United FC, Kuala Lumpur City FC of Malaysia, Vietnam’s Cong An Ha Noi FC, Borneo FC Samarinda from Indonesia, Philippines champions Kaya FC Iloilo and Singapore title holders Lion City Sailors FC will play in Group B.

SHOPEE CUP SEASON 2024/25 QUALIFYING ROUND PLAYOFFS MATCH SCHEDULE

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