Sparks Regain League Second Spot With Crucial Kaya Win

The Loyola Meralco Sparks took an important step in taking second place in the 2016 UFL League after a terrific win against their rival, Kaya FC, at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. The victory propelled the Sparks to the runners-up position with 40 points and one game remaining.

Before the match started, Loyola were thrown a curveball, as Guilherme Hasegawa injured himself in the warmup. That meant youngster Ace Villanueva would take over goalkeeping duties in the biggest match of his Sparks career.

As expected, the derby needed little time getting into full swing, with both teams looking to get on the front foot early. 18 minutes in, Jason de Jong came extremely close to opening the scoring. Playing in a more advanced role, the midfielder was given space to dribble to right outside the opposition box, where he unleashed a powerful strike which came off the upright. Minutes after, Kaya came close from a set piece, but Eddie Mallari was there to clear it off the line.

25-minutes into the game, the Sparks found the opener. The sequence started with Tahj Minniecon, who fed the overlapping Kouichi Belgira. The youngster brought it all the way to the end line and sent a cross to Phil Younghusband, who obliged with a powerful strike past Matthew Acton.

The remainder of the opening period was controlled by the Sparks, starving Kaya of any significant chances.

Eight minutes after the break, Loyola doubled the advantage. From a set piece, Phil Younghusband sent a ball towards the back post, where Joaco Cañas was all alone to guide the ball into the net. However, Kaya responded almost immediately. From a counter attack, Jovin Bedic chipped the ball past Villanueva and hit the upright. Eric Giganto gobbled up the rebound to ensure a frantic finish to the match.

Kaya looked to take advantage of the momentum swing, but the Sparks defense held firm. A backline of Anto Gonzales, Cañas, Mallari, Belgira, and Villanueva in goal, simply wouldn’t budge despite the best efforts of Robert Lopez Mendy.

With the win, the Sparks moved closer to the goal of qualifying for the 2017 AFC Cup, and head coach Simon McMenemy was clearly pleased.

“That just came out of sheer hard work and effort. The set piece that we were working on worked really nicely, but we had to be able to keep it (the lead) and I think that second goal is crucial. Kaya always come in strong. They always find a way to get back at you,” said McMenemy.

“I’m just very pleased today. The boys held on and deserved everything they got, absolutely everything they got,” McMenemy added.

With this crucial win in the bag, the Sparks will head on to the final game of the campaign against Stallion next week. Should Ceres-La Salle fail to get three points against Global in their next match, a win against Ernie Nierras’ side would guarantee a second place finish in the League, and with it, AFC Cup football next season.

http://onemeralcosports.com/loyola-sparks/sparks-regain-league-second-spot-with-crucial-kaya-win/

Ceres FC ready to apply for PFL license

Bacolod City-based Ceres-La Salle Football Club is ready to apply for a Philippines Football League license that will allow the club to participate in its tournament, which will replace the United Football League as an AFC qualifying event.

Ceres club administrator Nicolas Golez said they will apply for a PFL license and comply with all its requirements in order to compete in a tournament that will give the club a chance to represent the country in the Asian Football Confederation.

But while they are willing to join the PFL and ready to compete under the new league, Golez said the PFF needs to address some gray areas in its proposal before proceeding with the tournament.

“The marketing and sponsorship were not finalized yet. The composition of the six teams needed to start with the new league are not there yet,” Golez said.

In a media briefing of the PFL, PFF General Secretary Edwin Gastanes admitted that not a single club has come forward to apply for the PFL but several have expressed their interest.

With their target date to start on the last week of March or first week of April next year, Gastanes said all interested clubs have until December 31, 2016 to apply for a license.

Gastanes stressed that an applicant club needs to comply with the mandatory requirement in league licensing such as having a home stadium. The PFL, he said, will have a home-an-away format.

The club also needs to submit a financial plan to determine its capability of funding its participation in the league.

“This (PFL) is not a developmental league but a professional league. You have to compute on how much you are going to spend and how much you are going to get in return,” Gastanes said, adding that the clubs will have their share in the broadcast revenues and sponsorships.

“Those who will apply should be serious about it. We will help them find sponsors as we know that without sponsors this (new league) will die. If that is the case, then we are going back to amateur leagues,” Gastanes added.

With the UFL's broadcast contract with TV 5 ending this year, he said there will be no more UFL and the PFF has tapped its president. Randy Roxas, to be part of the PFL task force.*NAB

http://visayandailystar.com/2016/October/15/sportnews1.htm

UFL Saturday , Results and updated standings

JP Voltes fc 3-0 Laos Fc . Win by default...

UFL Wednesday : Kaya 6-0 Green Archers United , Updated standings

 

Azkals bow to North Korea in friendly to come up empty-handed in home stand

THE Philippines committed the same mistakes and suffered the same result as it bowed to North Korea, 3-1, in their international friendly on Monday night to come up empty handed in a two-match home stand at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Coming off a loss to Bahrain with the same scoreline last Friday, the Azkals put up another sluggish start as they surrendered two early goals once again before letting the North Koreans pile the pressure with another goal in the second half at the rain-soaked venue.

Iain Ramsay came off the bench and pulled a goal back for the Filipino booters, but it proved too little, too late as they failed to duplicate their stunning 3-2 win over the North Koreans in the World Cup qualifiers last March.

Pak Kwang Ryong broke the Azkals’ defense 11 minutes into the match with a header off a corner, before Pak Song Chol and Jong Gwan also scored for the visitors, past ‘keeper Roland Muller.

The Azkals got in the score sheet courtesy of Ramsay, who came in at halftime and chipped in a goal past the North Korean ‘keeper in the 76th minute.

Read more at http://www.spin.ph/football/azkals/news/azkals-bow-to-north-korea-in-friendly-to-come-up-empty-handed-in-home-stand#ifC7S1sr4hBA3M72.99

Friendly : Philippines 1-3 North Korea

Friendly


Monday


Philippines vs North Korea


Rizal Memorial Stadium,Manila


Start 8 pm.


Tv : ABS CBN Sports & Action , delayed from 9 pm


Livestream (only Philippines) :
http://sports.abs-cbn.com/livestream/azkals
















Update ;
11 mins 0-1  Pak Kwang Ryong (North Korea)
18 mins James Younghusband out (injury) , Junior Munoz in
38 mins 0-2 Pak Song Chol (North Korea)
0-2 HT
Bugas in , Steuble out
68 mins 0-3 Jong Il Gwan
Ramsay in , Ingreso out
1-3 Ramsay
1-3 FT

Azkals face tough NoKor

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Azkals brace for another tough international friendly tonight as they battle a North Korean side determined to pull off a vengeful victory at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

“It will be a good test for us. We know what a good team North Korea is so we expect a tough match,” Azkals skipper Phil Younghusband said yesterday in the pre-match presscon.

The Pinoy booters stunned the Chollima when they squared off last March at the same venue, 3-2 in the process ousting the latter from the third round of the Fifa World Cup Qualifiers. That result is not lost on the visitors.

“We were not happy when we went back home from that game because we lost the game and we lost the chance to go to the next stage and now we’re here again,” said Pak Kwang Ryong through an interpreter.

It will be a reunion of sorts for Azkals coach Thomas Dooley and Jorn Andersen, who assumed the coaching chores for a rebuilding North Korea last May.  The two were classmates in a coaching course in Germany in 2001.

“He’s a good friend of mine, we spent months together.  He wanted to play against us and we wanted to play against them again so we’re very happy to organize this game,” said Dooley.

“We’ll be happy to beat Thomas Dooley here in Manila and play against a strong Philippine team,” Andersen said.

Both teams are eyeing redemption too after suffering losses in separate friendlies last Friday. Phl XI fell to Bahrain, 1-3, while North Korea bowed to Vietnam, 5-2.

“We lost, 3-1, the result is absolutely not good but with the way we played, the way the team fought, the way I could see some of the changes that I wanted to see come out so that makes me very happy for the future,” said Dooley.

 Andersen said it will be a “totally different” North Korea team compared to the one that played in the WCQ.

“I came in May and started building up a new team of young and experienced players and make something new,” said Andersen.

http://www.philstar.com/sports/2016/10/10/1632152/azkals-face-tough-nokor

Azkals battle North Koreans in friendly

BY JAELLE NEVIN REYES

The Philippine National Football Team is scheduled to face North Korea anew in an exhibition game at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila at 8 p.m. today.

After being outplayed by Bahrain in their previous tune-up last Friday, the Azkals will once again face a familiar foe in their last friendly match in the October international window.

The Filipinos and the North Koreans were both housed in Group H in the second round of the joint 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2019 Asian Cup, which the former finished at third place while the latter ended at the second spot.

The Eastern Asian nation was shocked by the Azkals in their two-game meeting in the continental qualifiers following a scoreless draw in Pyongyang and a 3-2 upset in Manila.

National team star Misagh Baha­doran together with Manuel Ott and Iain Ramsay powered the Philippines in their historic victory over the higher-ranked North Korea in March.

According to former Filipino international Chieffy Caligdong, who currently assists head coach Thomas Dooley in the helm of the squad, changes will be made to the team’s game plan.

“Three or four players got injured in our game against Bahrain, so it is possible that coach Dooley will make changes in our tactics in our game against North Korea,” he said.

Dooley stressed that he has given the players a two-day break before the game to recalibrate their mental conditioning going into the affair.

On the other hand, International football newcomer Mike Ott is expected to headline for the country after scoring the lone goal in the 1-3 defeat against Bahrain together.

Youngsters Danie Gadia, Paolo Bugas and Fitch Arboleda are also slated to boost their side’s roster together with the battle-tested veterans of the Azkals.

The exhibition match is part of the Philippines’ preparations for the upcoming group stage of the ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup that will be held in the country in November.

The Azkals will be playing their final friendly match against Kyrgyzstan on November 9 before diving into action against the teams of Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia in the Southeast Asian football championship.

http://www.manilatimes.net/azkals-battle-north-koreans-friendly/290300/