Defense will play a big role in Ceres-Kaya semis match

By Jerome Galunan Jr.



With a day more to go, the much-awaited Ceres-Kaya semifinal match in the ongoing PFF-Smart Club Championship will take place tomorrow at 4 p.m. at the Rizal Memorial Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila.


Both clubs held their opponents, 1-nil, during their quarterfinal stints and defense was the key to that victory.

For the Freddie “Nene” Lazarito-mentored Ceres FC, beating two of the country’s top clubs is quite impossible but real. And winning on defense as the other side taking a 70-30 percent offensive position is more unfeasible.

Yet the Bacolod-based club proved that all these things are possible.

The tough defense played by Ceres from the midfield, with Roland Ian Treyes and Jason Panhay at the wings, while Fil-Am Joshua Beloya and Korean Kim Hong Mook at center, has worked out in denying its opponents to establish a good offensive flow – including breaking of ball passes towards the rivals’ wingmen or forwards.

Going further, the well-established defensive wall by Ceres’ skipper Jason Cordova and Korean Sim Hyung Min at wingback as well as the good teamwork from British Danny Claxton and Korean Park Keon Hyeong at central defense makes it more difficult for their counterpart to get a better shot on goal.

Not to mention the high-performance of its Korean keeper Hyoun Jae Jun, who has not given up any goal since the tournament started.

In offense, Ceres is more of a counter-attacking team that with its good defense pays them with good scoring opportunities with British Peter Long and J. Baguiro at forward.

Meanwhile, Coach Maor Rozen’s Kaya FC has showed great heart when they won over Loyola-Meralco FC.

And defense was also the key for the team when they held the Younghusband siblings-led club to a scoreless finish despite the absence of their key players skipper Aly Borromeo, co-skipper Anton del Rosario, Lexton Moy, Prince Boley and Jason Sabio. The first four are injured while Sabio has gone back to the US to continue his studies in law.

With Kaya’s offense, Azkals’ OJ Porteria, who scored the only goal against Loyola, is expected to take some run up front with Chris Greatwich anticipated to be back on shape after an off night during their last game.


On the other hand, Ceres midfielder Beloya, who also played for Kaya in UFL last year, yesterday described the latter squad and Global FC as great teams with the players having great individual characters.

“I do have a lot of respect to both clubs as well as the Azkals team because I have my teammates in there. And, I respect every teams I played against with,” he said./

WDJ