Global FC, Ceres-USLS blast NCC s’final foes

GLOBAL FC and reigning champion Ceres-University of St. La Salle downed their respective foes in the first of their two-leg semifinal clashes yesterday in the Philippine Football Federation-Smart National Club Championship at Panaad pitch in Bacolod City.
Star-studded Global, representing the Leyte Football Association, subdued Flame United Cherifer of Cavite FA, 4-0, with a bristling three-goal second-half offensive capped by a brace from Fil-Briton Mark Hartmann.

Ceres, the Negros Occidental FA representative, also fired home three goals in the second half to overwhelm Benguet State U of Baguio FA, 5-1, and lined itself up for a clear shot at the P100,000 winner’s prize.

Global and Ceres, which both finished top of their respective groups, go for the jugular today. Aggregate scoring will determine the finalists of the tournament sponsored by Smart.

Spanish striker Rufo Sanchez opened scoring in the 31st minute for the Dan Palami-managed Global, the United Football League powerhouse, which went into halftime with a shaky 1-0 lead.

Philippine Azkals striker Angel Guirado, however, found the back of the net in the 59th minute with a rocket that Hartmann followed with consecutive goals in a two-minute span from the 68th.

Global’s toughest match followed four earlier group encounters in which it blew away the opposition by 42 goals without conceding just one.

Okunaiya Oladipo fired two of home team Ceres’ three goals in the second half and J. Baguioro likewise scored a brace in the seventh and 25th minutes that sandwiched a 15th-minute marker by BSU’s Rolly Basilio.

After Olapido scored his first goal in the 49th minute, Jayson Panhay added to the Ceres scoreline with a fine blast in the 51st. Olapido capped the rout with a goal in the 85th.