by Drew Malihan
MANILA - Club de Futbol Manila needs two late goals in the second half as they snaps a win against Loyola Football Club in the 2023 Copa Paulino Alcantara Sunday inside the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
Both teams were familiar with the Copa scene where Loyola competed under the FC Meralco Manila name in 2018, while CF Manila has the core of the players from the Azkals Development Team.
Loyola and CF Manila engaged in a close first half but without a goal as both clubs failed to convert their chances against each other for the first 45 minutes, 0-0.
Things spiced up in the second half as Loyola keeper Javi Coscolluela saw a straight red card after a hard tackle between him and Frank Semilla for the ball outside the box, prompting Loyola to play ten men with Rafael Plaza subbing out for second choice keeper Juan Pablo Unlay.
Ten-men Loyola heldon until the 75th minute as Mikio Umilin scored a close-range rebound header from himself off from a set from captain Stephan Schrock to put CF Manila ahead.
Schrock saw himself with another corner in the 82nd minute that saw center-back Benjie Panotes went for a header to the ball past Unlay's guard to wrap the game for the men in black.
Loyola will try to bounce back on Saturday against Far Eastern University while Schrock and co. will meet Don Bosco Garelli on the 23rd.