Adrian and Ceres continue their hot run as they pound more misery into a dejected Kaya side. |
MANILA-- Reigning league champions flexed its
muscles on a demoralized Kaya, firing for five unanswered goals in a
comprehensive rout late Sunday afternoon at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
The Busmen showed their title credentials in
a virtual one-sided thrashing, as Adrian bagged a first half brace in front of
an observing Risto Vidakovic for their
eight straight win to shove themselves ahead at second at 24 points, leapfrogging
erstwhile leaders Loyola on goal difference.
Even without Stephan Schrock for the rest
of the match, Patrick Reichelt, Manny Ott and Bienve Marañon compounded more
misery to the beleaguered Kaya in the second half to give outgoing manager Ali
Go a fitting start to the final stretch of his career at the touchlines,
capping off with a cup final rematch with Global on the 17th.
Despite with Alfred Osei returning from a long
layoff, the three-time UFL titlists could not find any answers as their
predictable offence that included long balls to Robert Lopez Mendy were shut
down by the backline led by Kim Sang Min that compounded a troubled week for
them after the stunning setback to giant-slaying Voltes and subsequently
parting ways with veteran winger OJ Porteria. Ceres stopper Louie Casas need to stop three first-half shots en rout to a clean sheet.
Ceres started stepping on the gas right
from the opening whistle, and were rewarded by the Spanish forward in just ten
minutes, converting from the spot after the notable loan signing was brought
down by Matt Acton inside of the box.
Adrian completed his brace seven minutes
before half time, as he converted the cross by Reichelt to double the advantage
at the break.
Reichelt turned goalscorer six minutes at
the restart, virtually grabbing all three points after latching on Maranon’s cross
and fired home from close range to make it 3-0.
Ott further added more insult to injury
three minutes before the hour mark, as he delightfully chipped in past the
shell-shocked Australian and into the back of the net to send their faithful
into joyous frenzy.
Marañon put the finishing touches on a
chipped ball that went past teammate Kevin Ingreso and into the net seven
minutes before full time.
Go was delighted that the side won
comfortably in what he said as title deciders with two matches left in the
first round. “The club is on a high now.
Everybody’s doing their job, they play like a team, and they responded,”
the club director said after the match.
He also added that they are also looking at
Schrock on a day-to-day basis, after he was substituted less that twenty
minutes into the match. “Once he’s
injury-free, I think he’ll kill everyone. He’s the best player in the country,
no doubt about that”, he concluded.
Follow him on Twitter: @KevinLEstrada