BACOLOD CITY -- Ceres-Negros suffered its first loss after six games in this season of the Philippines Football League (PFL), falling 0-2 to Kaya FC-Iloilo in front of the Negrense crowd in Panaad Stadium Saturday night.
Ceres Negros assistant coach Ronald Ian Treyes said Kaya FC “fought very hard” to win.
“I think they gave their 200 percent just to win this game,” he added.
The result of the match saw the end of the Iloilo squad’s heartbreak at Panaad as they defeated the reigning PFL champion for the first time in six games.
“It was a tough game. Ceres, they have talented players…For us, we just took advantage of the first half. We just took advantage of their choice of players,” Kaya head coach Noel Marcaida said in a press conference after the match.
Kaya FC scored both goals in the first half courtesy of Robert Lopez Mendy in the 10th minute and Alfred Osei in the 40th.
“Overall, it’s really the collective effort of the team. The players really worked hard for it. This victory is what we wanted. It is really important for us, but again we can’t be over possessive of this victory. We have to move on. This is just the second game out of the five meetings with Ceres,” Marcaida said.
The visitors played with only 10 men for 30 minutes in the second half after Camelo Tacusalme was sent off.
“Despite losing one man, we were still able to manage defensively,” Marcaida said.
Kaya FC goalkeeper Ace Villanueva, who was named “Man of the Match,” was praised for saving a shot by Ceres forward Bienvenido Marañon from the penalty spot in the 20th minute.
Still, Villanueva said their win was the result of the team’s collective effort.
“It was a collective effort. Everyone stuck to the objectives. What was going on in my mind was to ‘stay composed’ and not to concede the goal, and to commit to defense and command more with my back four,” the 22-year-old keeper said.
Marcaida said that saving the penalty was the turning point in Villanueva’s “great performance,” giving him more confidence throughout the game.
Despite the loss, Ceres Negros remained on top of the heap with 15 points on five wins and a loss while Kaya Iloilo took the second spot, after gaining three points from its latest win, amassing a total of 13 points from four wins, a draw and two losses. (PNA)
