UFL Wrap: Ceres-La Salle FC, Manila Jeepney FC impress in first division debuts

The United Football League (UFL) Football Alliance League Cup opened over the weekend, with a whopping six games played at Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila. 

 

Saturday

 

Stallion FC won the first match over Philippine Army FC, 1-0 via a Fitch Arboleda goal in the 20th minute. But it was First Division’s new kids on the block who came up with the weekend’s most impressive wins. On Saturday’s third match, Bacolod’s Ceres-La Salle FC scored four against Pachanga PLDT Home Fibr FC. In the match prior, Manila Jeepney FC tied with Green Archers United FC 2-2 on a stunning last-minute equaliser.

 

Pachanga held against Ceres well into the first half, with goalkeeper Ace Villanueva making several great stops. A substitution in the 31st minute proved crucial for the boys from Bacolod, as Orman Okunaiya instantly energised the rather slow-starting team. Orman scored a goal in the 38th minute, followed by a smasher from new Spanish striker Gallardo Valdes in the next minute. Pachanga just could not find a way to score against their opponents. Gallardo earned a brace, scoring his second in the 66th minute, while Azkal Patrick Reichelt further officially introduced his club to the First Division just a couple of minutes shy of full time.

 

"We had to find our way,” said Ceres Team Director Ali Go. “Pachanga is a good team, they have experienced players. They have Anto (Gonzales) who is there - their commander. They have new recruits, Koreans and Iranians. I respect the club, but we are fortunate we scored two consecutive goals in the first half. I think we need to work harder. They are other clubs out there who are going to give a really really hard time for us. But we're here to play with the best, so I think this game is a good result, but we can play better football.”

 

Go also admitted to pressure to win the Cup in their first season in the First Division, citing the expectations of the team. Ceres recruited several former and current Azkals during the transfer window, bolstering an already impressive lineup. Jeffrey Christiaens transferred from Global FC, Nate Burkey from Pachanga, while Juani Guirado, Jason Sabio, and Edward Sacapano, who were on the team during their AFC President’s Cup run, have formally signed on as well. They join Reichelt, Marwin and Marvin Angeles, Carli de Murga, and former National Team goal keeper Michael Louis Casas. Go also confirmed that yet another Azkal, Paul Mulders, is joining the team soon.

 

Jeepney drove up their score early in the game with a Koffi Kouassi goal in the 5th minute. However, the Archers equalised in the second half with a Robert Lopez Mendy goal. At the 66th minute, Jan-jan Melliza scored what seemed like the winning goal for the Archers. Jeepney continued to pressure their opponents, and were rewarded with a goal from Jahan Taher in the 2nd minute of additional time. As the referee whistled in the next minute, the Archers forlornly walked off the pitch.  

 

Sunday

 

Sunday’s matches started off under scorching heat, as Kaya FC faced Dolphins United FC at 2:15 PM. The heat didn’t seem to bother Kaya very much though, as they walloped the Dolphins 9-1. In the first half, new signee Louis Clark (his real name) scored a hat-trick. Clark scored in the 10th,  37th, and 43rd minute. Azkals Chris Greatwich and OJ Porteria contributed a goal each at the 24th and 37th minutes. Clark lost no time in the second half, scoring again in the 49th minute, followed by Kenny Daniels just a couple of minutes later. The Dolphins managed to pull one back in the 61st minute via Jaybone Herva. But Kaya were not done yet, as Christian Ayew connected at the 84th minute, and Janrick Soriano wrapped it all up at the 88th minute.

 

In the second match, Second Division’s Laos FC showed that they weren’t going to back down from the big boys in the First Division, surprising Team Socceroo FC, 3-0. A goal by Socceroo at the 8th minute was waved off as offside, and that seemed to spell out what was in store for the rest of the game. Not even the entrance of scoring machine Masoud Shadideh — lately of Stallion FC — could bring luck for Socceroo. Laos broke through in the 34th minute via a sneaky Patrick Franksson goal, and then scored again in the 74th minute with Bryan Gumela beating the Socceroo defense, and then again from the spot from Dalir Lord right at the 90th minute. 

 

The last match of the weekend saw fellow Second Division teams Manila All Japan FC and Forza FC clash. The match would end 1-1. After a rather lacklustre first half that ended 1-0 in favour of All-Japan, the second half became quite physical, with both teams looking frustrated. All-Japan defender Yuki Tanaka was shown a straight red after bringing down a Forza player inside the box. But the Archers’ Jangobah Johnson sent the ball way over the crossbar. All-Japan managed to hold on despite being a man down, and even found themselves the more threatening team at times, but at the 86th minute, Johnson redeemed himself, and equalised for the Archers. All-Japan were reduced to 9 men a couple of minutes earlier, with Fidel Kue being shown a second yellow card. Yet it was still All-Japan who went on the offensive until the end of the match, stopping just when the referee blew the whistle. 

 

Games on Tuesday will be played simultaneously in two venues. Ceres-La Salle FC will take on Stallion FC at 5:15 PM, followed by Manila Jeepney FC versus Pachanga PLDT home Fibr FC at 8:15 PM at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. Meanwhile, Loyola Meralco Sparks FC battle it out with Philippine Army FC at 5:15 PM, followed by the match between League and FA Cup Champion Global FC and Dolphins United FC at 8:15 PM at the Emperador Stadium. None of the group stage games will be televised. — JST, GMA News