UFL Cup: Vergara is Air Force hero once again, Pachanga end Stallion’s reign
Recaps of the last two UFL Cup quarterfinals from Thursday in Emperador Stadium.
Philippine Air Force 1, Union Internacional Manila 0, AET.
The slipper still fits. The clock has yet to strike midnight. The carriage refuses to become a pumpkin again.
Air Force's storybook run in the 2013 UFL Cup continues for at least one more game, thanks to a familiar hero. Jimmy Vergara Jr., in his first season for PAF, has already entered the pantheon of Air Force Football legends.
With only three minutes left in extra time, the score knotted at 0-0 in an absorbing, hard-fought contest, Joel Ballo-allo threaded a long vertical ball towards the penalty box. It caromed off two Union defenders towards Vergara.
The fleet-footed Barotacnon didn't hesitate, and instead of dribbling, volleyed the ball powerfully towards goal with his left foot. It grazed the inside of the near post, well beyond the reach of Union goalie Paolo Pascual, for 1-0.
The script was eerily similar to Air Force's round-of-16 win over Kaya, also 1-0, also in extra time, also thanks to a late Vergara strike.
The final whistle blew minutes later, and Air Force's improbable rise from the ashes of relegation to stunning Cup glory was extended.
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“Di ko akalain na aabot kami sa ganito” said the Airmen's jubilant coach, Edzel Bracamonte. “Para sa akin, champions na sila.”
Union will consider themselves unlucky to spurn several golden opportunities to open the scoring first.
Twenty minutes in Fidelis Nnabuife could have scored after beating Neckson Leonora, but his attempt was smothered by an onrushing Ken Dolloso, PAF's keeper.
Two minutes later Vergara could have opened his account. Jez Tonog fired a stiff strike that Pascual parried to Vergara, only for the rookie to sky it over the bar.
Minutes later, Leonora exited after hurting his shoulder, to be replaced by Ansing Gustilo, back from suspension due to accumulated yellows. Leonora is the Airmen's tallest player, and would be needed to stop Union's gangly strikers.
A minute into the second half Jeremy Theuer nearly put Union in front, but his shot swung across the face of goal.
Three minutes before the hour mark Nnabuife collected a great long pass from Shayan Jafari Dastjerdi and after gaining a step on his marker, tried to place a shot into the low right corner. It was wide by mere inches.
But Air Force began to sieze control of the midfield, which led to three long-range attempts by Ian Araneta, the best one a free kick in the 75th minute that Pascual tipped over the bar.
Five minutes before regulation ended Jafari Dastjerdi unleashed a fierce left-footed strike that was equalled by a sensational diving save from Dolloso.
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Union continued to press in the extension. Jafari headed off the post in the first period, while Rory Mansbridge rocked the crossbar just after the restart.
Then with penalties looming, Vergara's astonishing winner sealed the deal.
Bracamonte dedicated the win to the Air Force personnel helping out in the Typhoon Yolanda relief, especially those sent to Tacloban. But he will have some adjusting to do for Tuesday. Leonora's shoulder injury required a trip to the hospital. His status is uncertain for Tuesday.
Gustilo, back from suspension, got red carded again in the extension after the goal and will miss the semifinal versus Pachanga. But Air Force will welcome back Bulldog Albor, Rodolfo Bebanco, Tibong Bayona, and Vince Braga, the quartet who served two-match bans after the stormy group stage walkout against Stallion.
Pachanga Diliman 5, Stallion 3.
There will be a new UFL Cup champion on December five because on Thursday, the defending champs... didn't.
Pachanga-Diliman set a Final Four date with Air Force after torching Stallion with a stunning five-goal haul.
Things went south for Stallion in the very first minute when centerback Andrew Santiago steered a low ground ball past Stallion keeper Pedro Marenco off a corner.
Six minutes later an unmarked Ousseynou Diop made it 2-0 when he picked up a long pass from Davide Cortina and calmly slotted home past Marenco's left side.
But Stallion pulled one back in the 19th when OJ Clarino knocked in a peculiar close-range goal off a bouncing free kick that a hesitant PD defense failed to clear.
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Stallion erased the deficit completely in the 33rd when Balot Doctora saw his shot batted away by PD keeper Kim Versales. The rebound fell to Junior Muñoz, and the Fil-Dutchman banged it in for 2-2.
Six minutes into the second half PD was in front again. The other centerback, Reza Amirkhizan, left the Emperador Stadium crowd slack-jawed with a viral-video-worthy left footed free kick that curved around the Stallion wall and into the top left corner, beyond Marenco's grasp.
Thirteen minutes later Santiago got his double, heading powerfully past Marenco off Cortina's corner, making it 4-2. Santiago later admitted it was the first time he had ever scored twice in a competitive match at any level.
Amazingly, Stallion fought back, with Doctora sneaking in through the seam of the PD defense and thumping past a static Versales for 4-3.
But eight minutes from time Ariel Zerrudo settled matters by scoring off an Anto Gonzales pass for 5-3.
Stallion were ravaged by injuries and suspensions. Park Bo Bae had a bad ankle and didn't start. Defender Carlos Torres was also injured and didn't play. Jeremy Hohn, another experienced defender, was unjustly sent off in the group stage clash versus Air Force, and served the second game of his straight-red suspension.
Stallion went with their usual unorthodox three-defender backline, but it was a trio (Selu Lozano, Bervic Italia, and David Basa) that had scant experience working together as a unit, and it showed. However, three PD goals did come from set pieces, where formations typically go out the window.
PD now faces Air Force on Tuesday. “We'll need to work on our marking” said PD mentor Noel Marcaida after the game. “You cannot underestimate Air Force.”
Follow Bob on Twitter @PassionateFanPH.
