Ceres-Negros blanks Davao, takes back top spot

BACOLOD CITY—Ceres-Negros regained top spot in the Philippines Football League with a convincing 3-0 win over Davao Aguilas on Wednesday night at Panaad Stadium here.

OJ Porteria converted from the spot in first half stoppage time, before Bienvenido Marañon scored twice in the second half as the Busmen bounced back from a 0-1 defeat to Kaya Iloilo.

Over at Biñan Football Stadium, Global Cebu stunned Kaya, 3-1, for its first victory of the season.

With the win, Ceres increased its tally to 18 points, two ahead of Kaya, which saw a four-match winning run snapped. Davao remained in third with 14 points from 10 matches.

Kaya finished the game with just nine players after Alfred Osei and Robert Lopez Mendy were sent off.

Patrick Deyto came up with a spectacular save to deny Mendy from the spot in the first half, but Kaya still took the lead through a Masa Omura header late in the first half.

But with Mendy given a red card for violent conduct against Global defender Lee Jeung-min, and Osei also sent off for an apparent elbow on Daniel Gadia, Global rallied through goals from Jordan Jarvis, Daryl Roberts and Jinggoy Valmayor.