Manila Digger FC coach Joan Esteva is refusing to look beyond Friday’s ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup playoff against Kasuka FC from Brunei Darussalam as the Philippines Football League champions seek a place in the Group Stage for the first time.
The Manila club will host the first leg of the region’s premier club championship at home, ahead of the return in Bandar Seri Begawan on September 12 with the winners claiming a spot in Group A of the group phase when it kicks off on October 7.
‘For us it’s a dream to win the playoff and to be able to compete in the group stage of the Shopee Cup. But we respect our opponent. We know we will have difficulties and we will have to give our best to achieve a good result. So we’re only thinking on Kasuka, we know they have signed good players. We know they want the same as us,’ said Esteva.
The meeting is one of two playoffs ahead of the third season of the Shopee Cup as four clubs vie for the two remaining berths in the newly-expanded group phase, which will see 14 clubs face off on a home-or-away basis until April.
The winner of the playoff will join champions Buriram United FC, fellow Thai League 1 outfit Ratchaburi FC, debutants Kuching City FC from Malaysia, Singapore’s Tampines Rovers FC, Công An H? Chí Minh City of Vietnam and Indonesia’s Borneo FC in Group A.
Meanwhile, Lao League 1 champions Ezra FC will play Shan United FC from Myanmar in Yangon on September 11 and 14, with the winners taking a spot in Group B.
Ezra or Shan United will then take on Thailand’s Port FC, Johor Darul Ta’zim FC from Malaysia, Vietnamese outfit Cong An Ha Noi FC, Singapore champions Lion City Sailors FC, Persib Bandung of Indonesia and PKR Svay Rieng FC of Cambodia.
Manila Digger will be making their debut in the tournament, having won the PFL for the first time last season, in only their second full season in the league.
They enter the competition after a landmark 2025/26 campaign, as they also reached the semifinals of the AFC Challenge League, underlining the quality the club will bring to the Shopee Cup.
‘Last season I wasn’t here, but they had a very good season. They had success and they want to continue this way this season and in the next seasons. This is our goal, to keep growing and showing that Philippines football can improve and grow and compete,’ added Esteva.
Esteva admits to knowing little about the Kasuka squad and, after seeing his team launch their new season with a last-gasp 1-0 loss to Persib Bandung in the AFC Champions League Two playoffs on Monday, is focused on ensuring his players recover in time for the first leg on Friday.