CERES-LA SALLE built enough cushion to foil a late fightback from DPMM Brunei and claim a Singapore Cup semifinal slot on Sunday night at Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore.
The 2015 UFL League champions absorbed a 2-3 defeat in the second leg, but advanced on the strength of a 5-3 edge on aggregate, counting their 3-0 triumph in the opening leg last Thursday.
Stephan Schrock continued his sensational scoring run with a 16th-minute strike, before Bienvenido Marañon added a second with a sublime chip eight minutes into the second half, putting Ceres on top, 5-0.
But the Brunei side, last year’s S-League champion, scored three unanswered goals to finish the second leg.
Ceres forged a clash with Tampines Rovers, who beat UFL Cup winner Global in another quarterfinal clash.
“A win would have been good, but qualifying is our job,” Ceres coach Ali Go said.
The Busmen are assured of matching the best finish by a Filipino side in the tournament. Global gained the semifinals in 2013 and 2015; Loyola Meralco made the stage in 2012.
Ceres fashioned out the win without key players Martin Steuble, Manny Ott and Patrick Reichelt who were all sidelined by suspension. Schrock will miss the semifinal match in September due to suspension after picking up a yellow card in the second leg.