COPA PREVIEW: CERES-NEGROS V STALLION LAGUNA

Ceres-Negros FC attempts to salvage their Copa Paulino Alcantara campaign when they face Stallion Laguna for their home match on September 19 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.

The busmen are in the bottom of Group A after losing their first two matches in the competition.

An error-filled performance in the opening match pushed them to a 3-1 defeat against the Aguilas while they bowed to a fresher and more determined Stallion squad in their noontime clash last Saturday in Binan.

The Negros squad were pressed heavily by the Laguna Side who played their last competitive match last August 25 where they lost 4-1 in Panaad.

Balot Doctora and Jess Melliza were the goalscorers but the rest of the Stallion attack were relentless in picking out the Ceres defense which helped them run away with a 3-0 victory.

Some key players are still unavailable for the cup after getting treatment from injuries incurred in the last few months. Kevin Ingreso, Jeffrey Christaens, OJ Porteria, and Sean Kane are still recover and will not be available in the match.

Super Herrera is suspended for the midweek clash after getting two yellow cards against Stallion. Bienvenido Maranon will be available for the Bacolod-based squad after getting red  in the first match versus Davao.

In order to have a chance to reach the semifinal, the reigning PFL champions will need to win their last two matches and hope for favorable results in the other fixtures in Group A.

Kickoff is scheduled at 7PM for Ceres-Stallion while a Kaya-JPV fixture will precede the match at 4pm. Tickets will be available at the gate and will already cover for both matches.

The full match will be streamed live at PFLtv.ph while the first half will be made available via the Philippines Football League Facebook page.

http://ceresfootball.com/copa-preview-ceres-negros-v-stallion-laguna/

COPA REPORT: STALLION LAGUNA 3-0 CERES-NEGROS

Ceres-Negros succumbed to a 0-3 defeat against an inspired Stallion Laguna last September 15 at the Binan Football Stadium Laguna. Jess Mellizza scored a brace while Ruben Doctora Jr. added a goal for the home squad.

Stallion went to a flying start pressing Ceres hard and earning a couple of shots in the first five minutes. Melliza and Doctora had their own chances early but the Ceres defense was there for the block.

The home squad was relentless especially on the break which forced Roland Muller to two consecutive saves midway in the half. The veteran foiled a Nic Ferrer shot from wide with a leg save and miraculously clipped a long range volley from Melliza that was set to go in.

Laguna would not be denied in the 24th minute when Doctora pounced on a rebound before he buried the ball to the bottom corner for the opener. They almost doubled the lead from point blank with Melliza but Muller was again there to block the danger.

Ceres had their best and only chance in the half when Blake Powell eluded the Stallion defense but Stallion import Ko Kyunjoon chased the Aussie for the last second tackle.

Stallion made it 2-0 minutes before halftime when a well timed run allowed Yannick Tuazon to break the trap before he passed towards a streaking Melliza who made no mistake. The home squad finished the half with a commanding 2-0 advantage

The Laguna-based squad picked up where they left off in the first half and scored seven minutes after the restart when substitute Fitch Arboleda initiated a counter that allowed him to lay-off to Melliza who completed his brace and Stallion’s third goal.

Things went from bad to worse when Super Herrera pulled Tuazon down on a counter which earned him a second yellow and a trip to the dressing room.

Ceres-Negros tried to recover with the introduction of some players in the second half but the man and goal deficits were too much allowing Stallion to walk away with the big victory.

“We know Stallion would give a hundred percent and more in this match. They always have a good performance every time we play them here in Binan. ” said Ceres assistant Ian Treyes.

“Unfortunately, some of our players came from Bahrain so the preparation was not enough. Hopefully we can do much better in the next game with everybody present,” Treyes added.

Ceres-Negros will need to do so much better in their final matches after dropping their second straight assignment in the cup. They will need to overcome their final two matches against Stallion and Davao to have a chance in reaching the semis of the tournament,

The busmen will again face Stallion on September 19 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila. Kickoff is scheduled to start at 7PM.

http://ceresfootball.com/copa-report-stallion-laguna-3-0-ceres-negros/

MÜLLER AND CO. LOOK TO BOUNCE BACK IN COPA

Roland Müller returned to Ceres-Negros midway in the season with one goal, to earn titles for the Negros based squad.

The prolific keeper did just that after contributing good performances late in the league to clinch their second league title but a false start in the cup left a bitter taste in the former national player.

“Last game, we were very unlucky,” said the veteran shot stopper when they played the Davao Aguilas in the Copa opener. “We started well but with two individual faults, we invited Davao for two goals and after it was tough to find our way back.”

Ceres-Negros fell against a makeshift Davao squad to a 1-3 scoreline with all opposing goals coming from mistakes in the back line. The league champions are looking to redeem themselves when they play a tough Stallion squad on Saturday.

“We are looking forward to do the things better, which we didn’t do against Davao,” said Müller. “To play good football, keep the ball in our line and if we get the opportunity to score we will do.”

Müller and company are keen to bounce back when they face the dangerous Stallion Laguna squad on September 15. They are looking to continue their unbeaten run against the Laguna squad to keep their cup dreams alive.

“We won the last game against them 4-1. We played good football. This should be our goal, play our game and win the next match,” he added.

Müller and Ceres-Negros may have stumbled in the first match but expect them to be at their best when they continue in their quest to make history in the country’s first professional cup competition.

http://ceresfootball.com/muller-co-looks-bounce-back-copa/

International Friendly : Sunday 9 September - Hidd Club (Bahrain) 3-2 Philippines

Update

Hidd Club 3-2 Philippines

Dizon and Reichelt (PK) scored for Azkals,

YouTube - Bahrain vs Philippines , full match

Bahrain rally to hold Philippines in thrilling friendly

SAYED Reza Isa fired in a last-gasp equaliser to help Bahrain escape with a thrilling 1-1 draw against the Philippines last night in an international friendly match played at National Stadium in Riffa.

After Philippine captain Phil Younghusband opened the scoring early in the second half with a penalty, the Bahrainis pushed hard to level the proceedings and did well to create several chances before the end of regulation. They could not come up with the finishing ball, however, until the seventh and final minute of stoppage time, when Isa rewarded his team for their perseverance with a goal from close range with what was virtually their final kick of the game.

The tune-up was part of both teams’ preparations for upcoming competitions, including the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, which is scheduled for this coming January.

It was the Bahrainis’ first of two friendlies over the next week. They are also set to face China in their other exhibition encounter on Monday at the same venue.

Last night’s game took place under humid conditions and its effects were evident from the outright as both teams got off to slow starts.

The first half was a generally dull affair with no clear-cut chances for either side. Bahrain’s Jamal Rashed wasted one opportunity; he should have done better with his shot in the first quarter-hour after being set up by teammate Sayed Dhiya Saeed on the edge of the area. But his left-footed attempt was well off the mark, failing to trouble the Philippines’ English Premier League goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.

The contest was goalless at the break, but that quickly changed just three minutes after the re-start when Younghusband was sent tumbling in the box by Waleed Al Hayam as he received a pass in front of goal from fellow-Filipino Stephan Schrock.

The Emirati referee did not hesitate to call the foul and Younghusband picked himself up to take the spot kick. The popular striker made no mistake with his powerful attempt, which he sent straight into the bottom-left corner of the net.

Now facing a deficit, the hosts raised their level of play. Ahmed Moosa missed a glorious chance in the 79th minute. Abdulla Abdo curled in a precision pass into the area which was back-heeled by Mahdi Abduljabbar to a charging Moosa. But Moosa failed to take advantage of his perfect position in front of goal and misfired above the crossbar.

Abduljabbar then had a chance only minutes later, but the Filipinos did well to block his attempt and clear the ball from danger.

In the 84th minute, Rashed had a free-kick from a couple of yards outside the box go inches wide of the left post. Then, in the early minutes of added time, Abdo had a volley travel well off the mark.

That set the stage for Isa’s end-game heroics. In a wild sequence, Abduljabbar had a poor shot stopped and an Abdo effort was blocked but the ball could not be controlled by Etheridge. Isa then pounced on the rebound and sent the ball home into an empty net.

http://www.gdnonline.com/Details/390118/Bahrain-rally-to-hold-Philippines-in-thrilling-friendly

Azkals held by late Bahrain strike in Cooper's managerial debut

By Kevin Estrada

MANILA--The Philippines have endured the heat of the Middle East as they let their cherished lead slip through their grasp, forcing them to share the spoils with Bahrain with a 1-1 draw in Riffa, Thursday evening (early Friday morning Manila time).

OI his managerial debut, Scott Cooper will have to wait until October to get his first win after seeing their second half lead being canceled out with the final kick of the match.

Both sides had their chances squandered by bad ball control in which they came close inside the box in the opening half as they enter the break goalless.

Amani Aguinaldo had to be replaced in the 36th minute by Paul Mulders in what could have been a perplexed change as the nagging knee injuries took a toll on the lone pure centre-half in the squad by Scott Cooper.

Quickly into the restart, the Azkals got first on the board when Phil Younghusband got his number 51 with a spot kick that was tucked in to his favorite left corner, the third straight instance of his penalties this year.

The hosts have tried to get back into the game but had their shots being charged down by the back-line now led by Carli De Murga and Daisuke Sato with Angel Guirado making his return to the fold.

But Bahrain knocked in the equalizer right at the seventh and final added minute to split the points in a dramatic fashion.

Philippines: Etheridge (GK), Mike Ott (Muñoz 90+2'), Woodland, Manny Ott, Phil YH (C) (Dizon 90'), Sato, Aguinaldo (Mulders 36'), Carli, Schrock, Reichelt (Angel 70'), Amin Nazari (Reed 73')

https://www.dugout.ph/2018/09/azkals-held-by-late-bahrain-strike-in.html

Friendly : Bahrain 1-1 Philippines

International Friendly
Thursday 6th September Bahrain vs Philippines
National Stadium in Riffa, 7 pm local time (Midnight Philippines)
Free entry
Livestream :


https://www.bna.bh/portal/en/tv/sports



https://www.https://www.bna.bh/portal/en/tv/sports

0-1 Phil Younghusband PK
1-1 Bahrain
1-1 FT