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Ceres Negros only needed to avert a meltdown in Myanmar to take their title defence in the ASEAN Zone further. AFC
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By Kevin Estrada
MANILA--Ceres Negros wasted no time to defend their ASEAN title in the AFC Cup, tearing Yangon United apart for a 4-2 win in their first leg of their semifinal tiff on Wednesday night in Bacolod's Panaad.
A first-half blitz saw the Busmen zoom ahead of their opponents, with the Burmese visitors needing a huge reply next week in their own patch to stand a chance against the PFL title-holders.
In front of 4,986 fans, Bienve notched a 15-minute brace to hike his tally to nine to stand all alone at the top of the goal-scoring charts, zooming past April 25's An-Il Bom and Persija's Marko Simic, who have eight each.
He put the home side ahead just before the half-hour when he sprinted past Yangon's defence on a Manny Ott through ball to chip it past a hapless Sann Sat Naing, who now conceded six consecutive goals against Filipino opposition.
Then Patrick Reichelt made it 2-0 four minutes later on a rebound, tucking the ball away from Sann who had to make a diving stop on Mike Ott's initial long-ranged shot.
The Spanish midfielder completed his brace a minute before half-time with a thumping shot from the six-yard box courtesy of Manny's corner.
Sekou Sylla also scored a brace to give Yangon a boost heading into the second leg, finding the net twice in the 55th and in the 83rd minute for their vital away goals.
Placed in between was Super's header which put the match beyond doubt three minutes after the hour mark which came from another corner by the elder Ott.
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