AFC Cup Preview 2023/2024 Stallion FC Vs Bali United: Guest Team Trying To Adapt

Indonesian club, Bali United, will play their inaugural match in the 2023/2024 AFC Cup with a trip to the Stallion FC headquarters. (Photo via Antara)

JAKARTA - Indonesian club, Bali United, will play their inaugural match in the 2023/2024 AFC Cup with a trip to the Stallion FC headquarters. This match will take place at the Binan Stadium, Laguna, Philippines, Wednesday, September 20.

Ahead of this match, Bali United intensified exercises on synthetic grass. This is a field adaptation process because most stadiums in the Philippines use synthetic grass, including the Binan Stadium.

This is certainly a challenge for Bali United players who are used to playing on the field with real grass.

"Hopefully our team can play well and get positive results in the Philippines," said Bali United coach Stefano 'Teco' Cugurra.

To face this match, Bali United brought 23 players. They have landed in the Philippines on Monday, September 18, afternoon local time.

The coach, who is familiarly called Coach Teco, admitted that he did not have much time to make final preparations ahead of the inaugural match in the AFC Cup.

"Our main focus is the recovery of players and adaptation to synthetic grass," he said, as quoted from Antara.

The team nicknamed Serdadu Tridatu was not in good condition. They just lost when they faced Rans Nusantara FC in the 2023/2024 Indonesian League 1 competition with a score of 1-2, last weekend.

Teco admitted that he had analyzed the map of the strength of Stallion FC, which also suffered a 0-1 defeat to Mendiola FC 1991 in a domestic match in the Philippines.

"I've watched the last two games of them. They are a good team and we respect the opponent," he said.

Bali United together with PSM Makassar are two representatives of Indonesia in the 2023/2024 AFC Cup.

After returning from the Philippines, Bali United will fly to Jakarta to continue the 2023/2024 Indonesian League 1 match against Persija Jakarta at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Main Stadium on Sunday, September 24.