Younghusband plays cameo in latest Ceres romp

Ceres-Negros FC welcomed new signing James Younghusband in style as it walloped Philippine Air Force, 3-0, last Saturday night to solidify its hold of the Philippines Football League lead at Aboitiz pitch in Lipa City, Batangas.

Goals from Super Herrera, Dylan De Bruycker and Robert Lopez Mendy secured maximum points for the Busmen, who extended their advantage to six points over second-running Kaya-Iloilo.

Coming off an eight-month layoff, Younghusband made a cameo role in the second half coming in for Mendy with the outcome already settled for Ceres-Negros.

Coach Risto Vidakovic admitted struggling to motivate his team against an Air Force team that has won only two matches this season.

“It’s very hard to motivate the team for these kinds of games,” said Vidakovic. “The team played serious until we scored the third [goal] and we stopped a little bit [after that].”

Later, Global Cebu grabbed a late equalizer as Paolo Salenga’s strike held Green Archers United to a 1-1 stalemate.

Tonaldo Appiah’s penalty put Green Archers in front only for Salenga, a former SEA Games campaigner, to tie the match with a minute remaining in regulation.

Playing their third match in eight days, the Busmen hardly looked exhausted as Mike Ott tested Mark Mendome early with a header from close range.

It was Herrera’s superb header off a Bienve Maranon free kick that finally broke the Air Force resistance minutes later, before De Bruycker doubled the lead in the 34th minute.

Mendy made it 3-0 just after halftime as Ceres continued its mastery of the Airmen, who were coming off a stunning win over Global last weekend.