Ceres-La Salle FC beat a defiant Forza FC 10-0 last June 15 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. Adrian Gallardo scored a hat-trick while seven others scored a goal each to complete the scoring which could have been more if not for the Forza goalkeeper Abu Ibrahim.
Forza only dressed nine players in the match which instantly seemed to be a sure route for the defending champs. However it took a lot of gritty defending before Manny Ott broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute. Gallardo would add another 15 minutes later from a Bienvenido Marañon assist. Marañon made it 3-0 after 45 minutes while Stephan Shröck scored another in injury time to close the half at 4-0.
The Busmen piled the pressure in the second half earning a penalty in the 62nd after Ott was brought down in the box. Gallardo secured his brace after making the penalty. Birthday celebrant Patrick Reichelt made it 6-0 in the 73rd while Jeff Christaens added one more five minutes later.
Nate Burkey and Carli de Murga would score on consecutive headers in the final ten minutes while Gallardo would get his hat-trick in injury time to complete the route. Ceres had 28 shots on goal with Forza’s Ibrahim collecting 19 saves in the match.
The win pushed Ceres to second place trailing Global by three points and leading Loyola on goal difference. The Bacolod-based squad will face JP Voltes FC on June 18.
