Ceres-Negros caused one of the biggest upsets in AFC Champions League history last week with a 3-2 win over three-time A-League champions Brisbane Roar.

The Filipino champions now head to China to take on the star-studded Tianjin Quanjian and this week the-AFC.com caught up with Swedish-born midfielder Omid Nazari to talk about that historic win, the match against Tianjin Quanjian and his own personal story.

Q. How is everyone feeling after the big win last week over Brisbane?

This is the biggest thing that has ever happened in the Philippines. It’s a big thing. I don’t think we really know how big it is right now, but everyone is happy and the atmosphere is good right now and we’re just trying to keep it like this going to China.

In one of the great Asian club football upsets of recent times, Ceres Negros - who only started as a club in 2012 - became the first team from the Philipines to reach the final stage of AFC Champions League qualifying after defeating Australia's Brisbane Roar 3-2 at Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre.

the-AFC.com caught up with two-goal hero Bienvenido Marañón to get his reaction on a special night for football in the Southeast Asian nation.

Q: Hello Bienvenido, firstly congratulations on the incredible result against Brisbane Roar: Ceres Negros are the first Filipino side into the AFC Champions League Play-offs! How are you feeling today, and has it sunk in what the team achieved yet?

I feel very happy, personally and for the team, because it's a reflection of the work this club has put in over these last few years. It's a team that keeps growing and has now put Ceres Negros in the forefront of ASEAN football.

It hasn't really sunk in yet what we have achieved. I couldn't even sleep last night after this historic occasion for us and Filipino football.

In an evenly fought first half, Massimo Maccarone put Brisbane ahead after 35 minutes of play but Ceres' Bienvenido Marañón Morejón equalised just before the break to leave the tie evenly balanced at half-time.

Morejón then doubled the advantage through a 65th minute strike and teammate Omid Nazari made it 3-1 with 15 minutes left.

Brisbane, however, pulled one back after Éric Bauthéac's strike found the net in the 86th minute beating Ceres goalkeeper Toni Doblas.

But it was too little too late for The Roar as Ceres held their nerve until the final whistle to set up a meeting with Tianjin Quanjian on January 30.

Suwon Samsung Bluewings vs FLC Thanh Hoa

7:30pm, January 30

Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon

SUWON BLUEWINGS

After finishing a disappointing seventh in 2016, Suwon Samsung Bluewings rebounded superbly in 2017, finishing third and restoring some pride for the two-time continental champions.

While they may have lost their star man and top scorer from last season, Johnathan, who has moved to Chinese side Tianjin TEDA, they have made arguably the biggest signing in K League history by capturing FC Seoul superstar Dejan Damjanovic, the K League’s second highest goal scorer behind Lee Dong-gook.

Coached by club legend Seo Jung-won, who won back-to-back Asian Club Championships with Suwon in 2001 and 2002, they are no strangers to continental competition, playing in the AFC Champions League in seven of the last nine years. They performed well in the group stage last year, losing just one of their six matches, but in a tough group finished third behind Kawasaki Frontale and Guangzhou Evergrande.

In one of the most stunning signings in recent K-League history, Dejan Damjanovic - one of Korean football's all-time top scorers - left FC Seoul, his club of eight seasons, to join fierce rivals Suwon Samsung Bluewings.

Ahead of Tuesday's AFC Champions League Play-off with FLC Thanh Hoa, the Montenegrin spoke to the-AFC.com about the reasons behind his controversial switch and gave his thoughts on this year's AFC Champions League.

Q: Hi Dejan, how are you and the team doing ahead of the match against FLC Thanh Hoa?

I think we are OK. We just got back from Jeju last night and we are finalising our preparations for Tuesday night. We know how important this game is and we need to be very careful because it’s our first game of the season. Nevertheless, I’m confident we'll put on a good performance.

Born on September 20, 1991, Omar Abdulrahman started his footballing education at Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal at the age of nine, moving up the youth ranks until 2006, when he secured a move to his current home in Al Ain at the age of 15.

Young Omar continued to impress at the various age groups, ultimately earning his first team debut in 2009. In the following years he would go on to become a fan favourite for both club and country.

Since his arrival to the UAE, the skillful number 10 rapidly gained popularity within the country and abroad with a string of performances that saw him represent the national team in the 2012 Olympic Games and help them win the 2013 Gulf Cup.

The 2015 AFC Asian Cup in Australia introduced Abdulrahman on the global stage, after he took the team to unprecedented heights, with their best ever finish on foreign soil. His ‘Panenka’ goal from the spot helped the Whites eliminate reigning champions Japan to reach the semi-finals.

The Brazilian striker, 30, enjoyed considering success at the 2016 tournament, netting 13 times in just 11 games for FC Seoul as the capital city club reached the semi-final, only to lose to eventual winners Jeonbuk.

Adriano's time in China has been a mixed experience with 10 goals in 24 games a reasonable haul, but like his first spell in China, at Dalian Shide in 2011 and 2012, the stint has ended with a move to the K League.

For this season's edition of the AFC Champions League, Jeonbuk have been drawn in Group E alongside Kitchee from Hong Kong and two as yet unknown play-off winners.