Stallions crush Cebu Queen City, 8-0
THE Iloilo Stallions crushed the Cebu Queen City United, 8-0, for their second win in the UFL Cup at the Rizal Memorial Stadium yesterday.
Playing in just their second game against a well-oiled team of veterans, Cebu Queen City United had its moments but the Stallions were simply too experienced.
Ruben Doctora and Kim Jae Woo had a hat trick, while the Cebuano strikers had a hat trick of close misses as Cebu failed to score for the second straight game after falling to defending champion Global FC, 3-0, in its debut.
The win puts the Stallions on top of the group with six points and a healthy goal difference, while idle Pachanga and Global FC are tied with three points each.
Both teams will play each other today.
The heavy loss against the Stallions means Cebu’s chances of making the knockout stage are now next to impossible.
The Cebu club, which flies to Manila weekly for their UFL Cup matches, now hopes it finishes third in the group by beating Pachanga heavily in its final group matches and hopes Global FC also beats Pachanga today.
Making matters worse, Cebu will miss Niño Zapanta and Ronald Mahilum for their final group match after the two were booked for their second yellow cards yesterday.
Rocky Garciano is also questionable for the match after he was stretchered out in the second half for aggravating an old injury.
The top two teams in seven groups and the two best third-ranked teams will move to the knockout stage.
“Right now, we have to rebuild the team’s confidence,” coach Mario Ceniza said.
Ceniza said the scoreline showed the difference in the match-competitiveness level of the Stallions, a team that has played together for a long time, and Queen City, which was formed just last month.
“Kusug ka-ayo sila tanan,” said Ceniza. “We really need more exposure and matches. But right now, I plan to talk to the team so we can pick up their confidence because we still have a match.”
The Cebuanos managed to hold the Stallions scoreless in the first 10 minutes but Lee Choo Young found himself alone on top of the box , and fired past Alex Boanghog.
In the 13th, Cebu got its best chance with a lovely build-up but Mitsu Tsunakiri’s shot went high and the Stallions made them pay by doubling the lead with a lovely goal from right flank from Pi Yong Jae. Vince Braga made it 3-0 in the 28th with a chip over Boanghog.
In the 29th, Aguilar had his first best chance but was stopped by Wilson Muñoz and in the 41st, the striker showed his pace by beating two defenders, but Muñoz stopped him anew.
Just like in the first half, the second half started well for the Cebuanos, nearly scoring in the 61st from point blank range, but an injury to midfielder Rocky Garciano stopped their momentum.
“I think if we managed to score in the second half, we could have changed the complexion of the game. We may still not have won, but we wouldn’t have lost by that much,” Ceniza said.
And 10 minutes in, Boanghog conceded his fourth goal and Aguilar, again, missed from point blank range.
Cebu managed to string up some passes in the second half but they were caught flat by the counter-attack by the Stallions, which netted four more goals, includingone two against substitute keeper Frederick Alazas, while Cebu Queen City’s offense kept misfiring.
Playing in just their second game against a well-oiled team of veterans, Cebu Queen City United had its moments but the Stallions were simply too experienced.
Ruben Doctora and Kim Jae Woo had a hat trick, while the Cebuano strikers had a hat trick of close misses as Cebu failed to score for the second straight game after falling to defending champion Global FC, 3-0, in its debut.
The win puts the Stallions on top of the group with six points and a healthy goal difference, while idle Pachanga and Global FC are tied with three points each.
Both teams will play each other today.
The heavy loss against the Stallions means Cebu’s chances of making the knockout stage are now next to impossible.
The Cebu club, which flies to Manila weekly for their UFL Cup matches, now hopes it finishes third in the group by beating Pachanga heavily in its final group matches and hopes Global FC also beats Pachanga today.
Making matters worse, Cebu will miss Niño Zapanta and Ronald Mahilum for their final group match after the two were booked for their second yellow cards yesterday.
Rocky Garciano is also questionable for the match after he was stretchered out in the second half for aggravating an old injury.
The top two teams in seven groups and the two best third-ranked teams will move to the knockout stage.
“Right now, we have to rebuild the team’s confidence,” coach Mario Ceniza said.
Ceniza said the scoreline showed the difference in the match-competitiveness level of the Stallions, a team that has played together for a long time, and Queen City, which was formed just last month.
“Kusug ka-ayo sila tanan,” said Ceniza. “We really need more exposure and matches. But right now, I plan to talk to the team so we can pick up their confidence because we still have a match.”
The Cebuanos managed to hold the Stallions scoreless in the first 10 minutes but Lee Choo Young found himself alone on top of the box , and fired past Alex Boanghog.
In the 13th, Cebu got its best chance with a lovely build-up but Mitsu Tsunakiri’s shot went high and the Stallions made them pay by doubling the lead with a lovely goal from right flank from Pi Yong Jae. Vince Braga made it 3-0 in the 28th with a chip over Boanghog.
In the 29th, Aguilar had his first best chance but was stopped by Wilson Muñoz and in the 41st, the striker showed his pace by beating two defenders, but Muñoz stopped him anew.
Just like in the first half, the second half started well for the Cebuanos, nearly scoring in the 61st from point blank range, but an injury to midfielder Rocky Garciano stopped their momentum.
“I think if we managed to score in the second half, we could have changed the complexion of the game. We may still not have won, but we wouldn’t have lost by that much,” Ceniza said.
And 10 minutes in, Boanghog conceded his fourth goal and Aguilar, again, missed from point blank range.
Cebu managed to string up some passes in the second half but they were caught flat by the counter-attack by the Stallions, which netted four more goals, including
Comments