Stallion, Green Archers set UFL semifinals duel

Showing poise under pressure, Stallion and Green Archers United forged a semifinal clash by hacking out pulsating penalty shoot-out victories Thursday night in the United Football League Cup.

Stallion fought newcomer General Trias to a scoreless stalemate for 120 minutes before scoring a narrow 5-4 win on penalties at the University of Makati field.

Over at the Nomads field in Parañaque, the Archers survived Pachanga-Diliman, 4-3, in the shoot-out after regulation play and extra time ended at 1-1.

Making their first semifinal appearances in the Cup, Stallion and Green Archers United dispute a finals slot on Tuesday. Global and Loyola Meralco will play for the other championship berth.

Korean defender Nam Yeol-Woo struck the winning penalty for Stallion, after General Trias missed two straight shots from the spot.

Stallions’ Spanish striker Rufo Sanchez, who always looked likely to score in open play, could have finished the shoot-out earlier, but his penalty was denied by the Korean keeper Seong Seuk-seo in the fifth round.

Flashing superb form between the posts, Seong pulled off a double-save on Sanchez and Jason de Jong’s efforts in the second half, before denying the Fil-Dutch midfielder anew, palming away his low shot in the 98th minute.

Jess Melliza opened the scoring for Archers in the sixth minutes, latching unto a cross from Tating Pasilan, but Pachanga equalized just 12 minutes before the halftime break through Ariel Zerrudo.