By Adrian Stewart Co

After clinching their third Philippines Football League title and closing the 2019 season over the weekend with a 3-0 win over Kaya-FC Iloilo, Ceres-Negros FC will be looking to pick up a double this year with the Copa Paulino Alcántara, which is set to kick off this weekend, October 26.
The Negrense club’s regional rivals, Kaya FC, are the defending champions.
Following a recently-held draw, Ceres FC was drawn in Group A alongside Mendiola FC and Green Archers United with the Philippine U22 men’s national football team joining as a guest; while Kaya FC, Philippine Air Force FC, and Stallion Laguna FC were drawn in Group B.
The top two clubs in each group advance to the semifinals, which will be place on November 10.
The finals will be held on November 16.
The annual cup competition is named for Iloilo-born Paulino Alcántara, who played for FC Barcelona. Considered Barça’s “first star player,” he amassed a total 369 goals in 357 matches in his career with the Catalan club—an average of one goal per match.
The winner secures a spot in next year’s AFC Cup./ASC, WDJ