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| Tahj Minniecon and Meralco Manila emphatically answered questions about their ambitions by downing capital rivals Kaya Makati saturday night. (file) |
By Kevin Estrada
MANILA -- A highly charged and emotional Capital Clasico saw Meralco Manila retake the lead in the PFL table after downing archrivals Kaya Makati 2-1, Saturday evening at the Rizal Memorial.
Tahj Minniecon scored in both halves for a brace as the capital side finally get a win for the first time without the Younghusband brothers in just their second time of asking.
Apart from topping the table, it also ended their victim's unbeaten run of seven matches, all of them were made in the previous month.
The Aussie put the Sparks on board, connecting on the feed from Curt Dizon after a Kaya mistake at their backline midway into the first half.
However, Jun Badelic's drive for a clean sheet was quashed with ten minutes left, as Jordan Mintah beat him with an acute header that bounced on Milan Nikolic and into the net for the equalizer
And with questions about their ambitions put to the ultimate test, Manila came back roaring and were rewarded in the 86th minute.
Minniecon duly give the Sparks all three points from the spot, sending Ref Cuaresma to the opposite side after Alfred Osei charged down Dizon inside the box.
What followed next was chaotic scenes in the last moments Kaya had two legitimate chances that were denied by the referee, sending their faithful into angry raptures.
Just a minute after Manila scored their second, Mintah could have equalized yet again but was caught by the linesman's flag for offside.
And in the dying moments, Eric Giganto's penalty appeal was turned down despite eyewitness accounts of its legitimacy that led to Ultras Kaya going on rage mode before security were called to restore order.
However, this will be Manila's win to savor as they return to the summit after a harrowing four game stretch, which include their first two losses all season long.
Follow him on Twitter: @KevinLEstrada
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