BACOLOD CITY—There was no shortage in firepower for a shorthanded Cavite side.
Cavite, whose core is made up of NCAA champion Arellano University, leaned on a pair of quality strikes in the second half to overcome Bukidnon, 2-1, Wednesday and set up a semifinal showdown with host Negros Occidental in the PFF Smart Under-22 Amateur Football Championship at Panaad Stadium.
Stepping up in the absence of suspended striker Charles Gamutan, Spencer Galasa and Ronald Espinosa came up with spectacular goals to propel the Caviteños past a Bukidnon side that couldn’t cash in on counterattacks.
“I’m glad the players responded to the challenge,” said Cavite coach Ravelo Saluria. “We had to improvise in the second half.”
Over at the North Ceres field in Talisay City, Misamis Occidental crushed Cordillera, 4-0, and clinched the last semifinal seat.
The Misamis booters scored all their goals inside the final 10 minutes as they advanced against powerhouse Davao, which waylaid Camarines Norte, 10-0, in another duel.
Paul Salahit scored for Misamis in the 82nd minute, setting off a barrage of goals capped by Kens Dimagna-ong’s injury-time strike.