Ceres-USLS fires one past Global, keeps title

SUPER sub J Baguioro fired home an 84th-minute goal as Ceres-University of St. La Salle Bacolod eked out a 1-0 decision of powerhouse Global to cap a stunning championship victory PFF-Smart National Club Championship at Panaad pitch in Bacolod City.

Needing just a scoreless standoff against Global to post its second successive triumph in the tournament, Ceres-USLS employed rock-solid defense until Baguioro slammed a rocket past goalkeeper Dely Roland Sadia.

The final horn triggered wild celebrations in the stands as Ceres players, among them Joshua Beloya, Jayson Panhay, Yung Byeong-jun, Okunaiya Oladipo, Sim Hyung-min and Jalsor Soriano, and the coaching staff whooped it up on the field.

Ceres, which won the two-leg championship duel, 3-1, on aggregate, picked up the champion’s booty of P100,000.

Ranged against a champion United Football League club backstopped by Azkals standouts and foreign players, Ceres leaned on tough defending to take Global out of its comfort zone for the second straight match.

Global, managed by Azkals team manager Dan Palami, represented Leyte Football Association.

Coming into the series as the underdog despite being the defending champion, Ceres slew Global, 2-1, on Beloya’s second-half brilliance last Thursday to the delight of the host Negros Occidental FA crowd.

Ceres was as determined in the decisive match as it shut down Global’s skillful strikers and cap its amazing run in the 11-day tournament bankrolled by Smart and sanctioned by the Philippine Football Federation.

Global fielded Azkals standouts Angel Guirado, Jeffrey Christiaens, Marwin Angeles, Jason de Jong and Misagh Bahadoran and Spanish striker Rufo Sanchez and Nigerian Izzo Elhabib but was nowhere near its deadly form after scoring 47 goals and conceding just one from the group stages to the semifinals.