Ceres FC snatches 1st leg in PFF-Smart finals
By Jerome S. Galunan Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 20 Dec 2013
It?s 2-1.
Defending champion Ceres-La Salle FC snatched the first leg of the PFF-Smart Club Championships on a 2-1 win over Azkals-bannered Gobal FC at the Panaad Park and Stadium on Thursday.
The home team started on the defensive position in the first half of the match seeing the Global side, which played as away team, making lots of threats on goal with the Spanish combo up front ? Angel Guirado and Rufo Sanchez.
However, with the time winding down in the first half, Jayson Panhay connected a fancied goal in the 45th minutes past Global keeper Dely Roland Sadia.
Having the momentum in the second half, Ceres put some pressures on Global?s defense but Guirado found some space inside the box to beat defender Lemuel Unabia for the equalizer in the 54th minute.
Korean reinforcement almost had the chance to score Ceres? second goal after escaping Global?s keeper, who came up for the challenge, but the visitor?s back line were quick to provide the defensive help.
It was in the 62nd minute when Joshua Beloya found space in the right flank and lobbied the ball towards the goal ? out of reach of Sadia.
Global tried to score an equalizer but failed as the referee blew his final whistle.
?At least we have the advantage but, still they (Global) have a goal. I think it?s a motivation for us to work harder,? Ceres Head Coach Bernard Ali Go said. ?We still have 90 minutes to work with and need to score in the next leg,? he added.
Assessing his team?s performance, Go said that he was very disappointed with how Ceres played in the first half of the match. ?This is because the plan was to move the ball around. But, what they did was to send long balls ? which never our game plan,? he explained.
?However, we made adjustments in the second half, and we won.?
En route the second leg, Go said that what they will do is to work harder and harder to defend their crown.
On the other hand, Bacolod City Mayor Monico Puentevella, who is also a member of the FIFA TV and Marketing Committee, said that weekend?s match is the crucial game for the Bacolod team, Ceres-La Salle FC.
?I appeal to all the Bacolodnon and Negrense football lovers to come on Saturday and support Ceres-La Salle. This is to show the country the quality of football we have here in Bacolod and Negros Occidental is doing well,? Puentevella said, who was present during yesterday?s match. ?Please wear white.?
?I congratulate the Yanson brothers in helping football in the province,? he said.
The second leg of the finals will kick off 2:30PM on December 21 at the Panaad pitch.(WATCHMEN DAILY JOURNAL)
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Jerome S. Galunan Jr..
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