SMART Nationals semis: Ceres stuns Kaya, Pasargad beats Archers in Bizarre Penalty Shootout
Match reports from the SMART-PFF National Club Championship semifinals Saturday at Rizal Memorial.
Pasargad 2, Green Archers United Globe 2 AET. Pasargad wins PSO 2-1.
In one of the most surreal finishes to a Football game in recent memory, Pasargad reach the finals in Kafkaesque circumstances, winning a dramatic, eventful, and controversial penalty shootout, 2-1 over the Archers.
Leading 2-1 in the shootout with Archers' Tommy Escoltero shooting first in the fourth round, Pasargad keeper Reza Ataei pulled off a brilliant save to his left.
Thinking they had won the game, Ataei and defender Jahambaksh Taher took their shirts off and started celebrating.
Problem #1: the game wasn't over mathematically. The Archers could still send the shootout to sudden death.
Problem #2: in the laws of Association Football, taking off your shirt merits a yellow card.
Problem #3: both Ataei and Taher were already on yellow cards and were thus in danger of getting expelled.
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Amidst the protestations of Pasargad and the exhortations of the Archers players and staff, referee Wilfrido Bermejo eventually displayed the red rectangle to both. Taher, in a remarkable show of sportsmanship, shook Bermejo's hand immediately after.
Ataei was not so diplomatic, taking time in exiting the playing area.
After some delay Pasargad's dreadlocked new signing, Constanthdivine Harris, stepped up to the spot with hopes of putting the game away with his team's fourth attempt. But Archers keeper Martin Villaflor easily blocked the Floridian's poor effort down the middle to force a fifth round.
Pasargad needed a reserve keeper, and the task fell to their diminutive new signing, Francis Sumidivilla.
Wearing a bib but no gloves, he stationed himself on the goal line to face Archers' fifth kicker, Ayi Nii Aryee.
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Ayi, the hero when United beat Pachanga in a penalty shootout in the UFL Cup, was unable to deliver this time. He struck the right post with his shot, ending the shootout and sparking wild celebrations from Pasargad.
It's a pyrrhic victory for Essie Sedigh's team, though, because they will likely miss the services of at least four players for next Saturday's final.
Apart from Taher and Ataei, Emmanuel Mbata was sent off harshly late in regulation while Charles Ujam picked up his second yellow of the competition.
“The final is half ruined for us” lamented team co-owner Javi Mantecon. Pasargad is without a reserve keeper and lost defender Jay Torres to a broken nose in the quarters. They only dressed sixteen players on Saturday.
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Green Archers United Globe had every chance to win the game, leading 2-0 at one point.
All four regular time goals were scored in a manic six-minute spell starting from the eighteenth minute, when Chieffy Caligdong's long range one-hopper somehow eluded Ataei for the opener.
Just one minute later United doubled their advantage when Caligdong won the ball in midfield, streaked down the park, and offloaded to Dads Pasinabo who found Jovanie Simpron on the right side.
Simpron hoofed it home to make it 2-0.
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The lead lasted all of one minute, as Ujam volleyed home from close range for 2-1.
In the 24th Pasargad were fortunate to level when Reza Amirkhizan booted from distance and his shot rattled off the crossbar and off Villaflor into the goal.
A scoreless second half was followed up by a fruitless 30 minute extension to set up the penalty shootout. Ujam and Pasilan both had great chances stoned by the keepers.
Caligdong kicked first for the Archers and he slotted it home low right. It would be the only successful attempt for his club. Hamid Hajimedi and Sumidivilla were true while Tating Pasilan, after getting saved, was awarded a retake because Ataei was adjudged to have left his line early. Pasilan squandered his second bite of the cherry, striking the crossbar.
Elle Cagayanan missed for the Archers and Mark Anthony Fernandez also flubbed for PSG, setting up Escoltero's miss and the subsequent drama.
“It was disappointing. When Mbata was sent off and we had a man advantage we kept on doing high balls instead of doing more ball possession” said Archers assistant Frank Muescan.
Caligdong was a bright spot for the Archers. The Azkal was a threat all game long but his efforts were in vain.
Ceres 3, Kaya 1.
Kaya's makeshift defense finally crumbled, while Ceres, the underdog side from Bacolod, extend their fairy-tale run into the final match.
Jason Panhay opened the scoring in the 24th minute for Ceres, a lead that was doubled by Yoon Byeong Jun's 41st minute goal.
Yoon's score was sweeter considering he missed the quarterfinal due to suspension.
Chris Greatwich pulled one back for Kaya six minutes after the restart when Ohjay Porteria dribbled around the Ceres defense and offloaded to the Azkals vet, who finished beautifully.
A late penalty taken by substitute Choi Gun Hee sealed it.
The finest goal was the first, the result of a gorgeous long diagonal pass from Josh Beloya that Panhay collected on the left flank.
The Kaya defense was slow to react and their keeper Saba Garmaroudi raced out to narrow the angle. Panhay reacted by coolly chipping the ball over the keeper and into the net.
Panhay, who is from San Carlos City and played alongside Tating Pasilan and Arnie Pasinabo in the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod, could have even made it 3-0 just before the half but his header slammed into the crossbar.
Coach Freddie Lazarito's charges played attractive possession-oriented Football all throughout the game and even when they led, maintained a 4-4-2 formation and did not cynically pack in their defense in front of Hyeon Jae Hun's goal.
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While Jonah Romero was influential for Kaya in attack, their defense, composed of Junior Munoz, Eddie Mallari, Masanari Omura, and Dario Dakic, withered under the Ceres attack.
Kaya have been ravaged by injuries and defections in the back line. Aly Borromeo and Anton Del Rosario are both hurt. Nico Bolzico is out of the country, Adrien Semblat transferred to Nomads, and Jason Sabio is studying law in Alabama.
But for Ceres, a team effort is richly rewarded, and they have now completed the transformation from Cinderella squad to Finals favorites against a depleted Pasargad team.
“Everyone's helping each other. The Lord helped us also” professed Ali Rojas Go, Ceres team manager.
Unfortunately I will be away in Malaysia covering ONE FC and will not be able to watch the final match of this competition. But Yahoo! Sports will have a match report on the game which is slated for this coming Saturday, February 2. - Bob
Follow me on Twitter @bhobg333.
