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| KC Cruz/UFL |
By Kevin Estrada
MANILA--Stallion boss Ernest Nierras stressed that the club still needs improvements in spite of getting its well deserved revenge on Kaya on Sunday night at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
Nierras credited his team's trademark defense and counterattacking game to eke out a close 1-0 win over the reigning cup holder.
"Well it's the beginning of the season, so we want to be able to see what the teams are going to do. So we have to be able to hold back," the feisty manager said.
He also admitted that retribution was also one such factor in that match, noting that Stallion was hungry to get even at its rival following its agonizing Cup semifinal defeat last season.
Nierras, on the other hand, was elated that Stallion and Kaya never played a boring match when they face off against each other.
Asked on why Stallion was shorthanded, he stated that some of the booters were either playing ill or just came from prior commitments.
"Simone [Rota] actually had a fever. Every time he played against Kaya, he had a broken bone, something," Nierras added.
He also told that Nate Alquiros had to attend graduation practices in La Salle as well.
Despite Rota's "flu game" and Alquiros' graduatoin, Nierras stressed that Stallion played its heart out to get the three points.
Goalkeeper Ref Cuaresma, noted for his splendid record against Kaya since his stint with Loyola, said that it boiled down to hard work in his first start of the season, noting that first choice Johan Noetzel is out with a torn rib muscle, yet he says he is ready to prepare anytime the manager wishes to.
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