Busmen ground Airmen; Kaya FC bounces back
DEFENDING champion Ceres-Negros FC continued to flex its muscles in the Philippines Football League just as Kaya FC-Iloilo bounced back in league action on Saturday.
The top two teams in the ongoing PFL tournament, both Ceres and Kaya maintained their one and two spots with contrasting wins at the weekend.
Ceres blew out Philippine Air Force FC, 12-0, in their match at the Philippine Football Federation National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite, while Kaya hacked out a 1-0 victory over Stallion Laguna FC at the Biñan Football Stadium.
The win was the sixth straight for the “Busmen” to further underscore their mission of going for a third straight league title.
Five Ceres players scored in their big win over Air Force, led by the four of Mike Ott, which all came in the final 15 minutes of regular time – 75’, 77’, 86’ and 87’.
Bienvenido Maranon (4’, 42’ and 45’) and Stephan Schrock (9’, 22’ and 85’) each had a hat trick while Miguel Tanton (7’) and Curt Dizon (67’) had a goal each.
It was all Ceres right from the beginning with Messrs. Schrock and Maranon conspiring for their team’s first goal.
From there it was a long day for Air Force as it saw its opponent go on a virtual scoring clinic on its way to the dominant victory.
The win improved Ceres to 19 points off a six win and one draw record while Air Force (0-1-7) was forced to its fourth straight loss. It remains at the bottom of the standings with a point to show for.
Kaya beats Stallion
Meanwhile in Laguna, Kaya bounced back from its crushing 2-1 loss to Ceres last time around, getting the better of Stallion.
Darryl Roberts scored what turned out to be the marginal goal in the game in the 31st minute, converting a free kick by teammate Jovin Bedic.
Kaya (6-1-1), with the win, kept in step with Ceres with 19 points in the standings, but on the strength of better goal difference and win over the second-placed team, Ceres is currently number one.
Despite the loss though, Stallion (3-2-2) is still in third place with 11 points. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
