The Noob's Guide to the UFL Cup Semifinal

Will Kaya repeat or there will be a new name to be engraved in the UFL Cup? Mark Cristino/UFL

By Kevin Estrada

WEDNESDAY is Semifinal Day in the UFL Cup at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. And now we are down to four clubs battling it out for the season's first silverware on the offing and along that, a playoff spot in next season's AFC Cup.

So here we go, this is the NOOB'S GUIDE TO THE UFL CUP SEMIFINAL.

Semifinal 1

GLOBAL vs STALLION

5:15 PM

Stallion got the better of Global in the 2012 final, the last to be played in Rizal's natural grass.  UFL FILE PHOTO

A rematch of the 2012 final will be the first in our doubleheader this Wednesday, as two former Cup holders battle it out for the spot in the Final Saturday next week.

Getting some close shaves from their quarterfinal matches last week, Stallion and Global looked to prepare for a huge dogfight against each other, which had come a long way since their first meeting last January 9, 2011 wherein Nigerian Oguejiofor Cusmas poked home the only goal of the match in Alabang.

So, who will win between these sides who will play for the 3rd time in the cup, 16th in all competitions? Will find out later in less than three hours.

SEMIFINAL 2

KAYA vs CERES

8:15PM

Despite it's young match-up, Kaya and Ceres played fantastic football in those five matches. Mark Cristino/UFL

The rematch could have come early for Ali Go, as the Busmen finally had their sights on their nemesis in last year's final, which went all the way to penalties before Kaya prevailed to avoid a double (as well as busting Global's Asian aspirations).

For Chris Greatwich, a win here will prove that their upset victory last year was not a fluke.

In their sixth encounter, only one of the UFL's representatives to the AFC Cup will have a shot in going back to the international stage for next season, where the loser will have to win the league in order to qualify for Asia.

PREDICTIONS

With this preview, I ask three of my colleagues: Philip Maranan, Ivan Saldajeno and John Paul Abcede what are their predictions for this match and who will go to the Final on the 16th.

Maranan: The Final will be Stallion vs Ceres/Kaya. It's hard to decide who will win in the second match, especially it will go either way all the way (in penalties)

Saldajeno: It will be Global-Kaya in the final. Global will give Stallion a painful defeat in the Cup after normal time. I expect that the second semifinal will go all the way, but it will be a repeat of last season's Final.

Abcede: For me, I had two outcoumes for this. First one is Global-Ceres, on paper they are the top two clubs in the country today and produced the most number of booters into the national team. But I also fancy the Western Visayas derby bet. Stallion and Ceres as well.

Follow him on Twitter: @KevinLEstrada