MANILA and Cebu will be the venue of top-class football action this weekend as they play host to a pair of Philippines Football League (PFL) games.
Set for tomorrow are the battle between league-leading FC Meralco Manila and Ceres-Negros FC at 4 p.m. at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium to be followed at 7 p.m. by the clash of Global Cebu FC and San Miguel Davao Aguilas FC at the Cebu City Sports Complex.
The lone undefeated team in the newly created national football league, the Meralco Sparks (7-2-0) are out to stay unscathed against The Busmen and add on to their pace-setting 23 points in the PFL.
Meralco is coming off a 2-1 win over JPV Marikina FC last week in their battle of PFL top teams.
In the win, the Sparks used a “gift” — an own goal — from its opponent in the opening half as a springboard and help fortify their hold of the top spot.
Ceres, meanwhile, is also coming off a high after routing Ilocos United FC, 7-0, also last week.
OJ Porteria and the comebacking Patrick Reichelt each scored a brace while Stephan Schrock, Jeffrey Christiaens and Fernando Rodriguez had a goal apiece in Ceres’ domination of Ilocos.
Ceres now has record of 5-1-2 and 16 points, good for fifth spot in the standings.
THIRD STRAIGHT WIN
In Cebu, meanwhile, Global plays its third straight match at the CCSC and tries to go 3-0 on their home field.
The latest of Global’s home wins came last Sunday at the expense of Stallion Laguna FC, 3-0.
A brace from veteran Misagh Bahadoran (49’, 67’) and a closeout goal from Shu Sasaki (86’) did it for Global, which now stands at second place with a record of 6-2-2 and 20 points.
Global is angling to sustain its solid form of late against Davao (0-4-5) which remains winless in the PFL to date.
In their last game on Sunday, the Aguilas fell, 5-1, to visiting Kaya FC-Makati.
But despite the score, Davao still made a good account of itself, especially in the opening half when it left Kaya capped in its chances.
The Aguilas’ spirited showing was impressive that even Kaya itself paid a compliment to Davao’s performance after its win. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
