Ceres-La Salle FC recovered in extra time to squeak past a tough Garena Young Lions squad 3-1 in the 2016 RHB Singapore Cup last May 29 at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore. Stephan Shrock scored a brace while Sang Min Kim added another for the Philippine squad.
The Bacolod squad started out flat just a few days removed from their AFC Cup match. The Home squad were getting the better half-chances in the first 10 minutes after getting quick counter attacks. It took 14 minutes before the visitors made their own chance. Shrock provided a dangerous pass to Patrick Reichelt in the box with the Ceres striker controlling the ball before a weak attempt that passed through the face of goal. Reichelt would return the favor two minutes after but Shrock’s passing shot was wide.
The Busmen became more dangerous from the 21st minute when Bienvenido Maranon tried to chip the ball from the wings forcing the keeper to make a fine save. Carli de Murga had a great chance after connecting from a pass from Martin Steuble. De Murga broke the offside trap but his header has tapped out by Zharfan Rohaizad.
The Singaporean squad had their own chances after the hour mark after a good cross was punched out by keeper Louis Casas. Striker Hami Syahin received a through ball in the dangerous area but Casas was there to tap the danger out. The visitors got the opener a minute from halftime after a Manny Ott run in the middle allowed Shrock to get free on the left hand side and secure the lead for Ceres.
It took a while before the action picked up in the second half after Shrock got free on the right switching the ball to De Murga on the other side. The former Azkal took a shot but the keeper was there to block in the 74th. Both players again tried a combination five minutes later but De Murga’s header was just over the bar.
The Garena-backed squad struck back in the 86th after two shots from a corner hit the woodwork with Joshua Pereira blasting in the third for the equalizer. The match proceeded to extra time after ninety minutes.
Ceres struck gold in the 99th minute when Sang Min headed in the ball into the back of the net. A cross from Steuble took a deflection with the Ceres captain taking advantage and scoring his first goal in a Ceres uniform. Steuble again issued an assist a minute later after floating a ball towards Shrock who just got a header off towards an open goal before he was knocked out by the keeper for his brace.
A commotion ensued near the end after substitute Paul Mulders was running after an Young Lions player for a bad challenge. Players from both teams had to be restrained as emotions were running high late in the match. The game ended with a 3-1 score in favor of Ceres.
“I was expecting a hard game versus the young lions. I was watching some of the clips of their games, they lost but they were fighting all the way versus all of the S-League giants. They were fighting, it was not really a one-sided game. I was expecting that,” said Ceres Coach Ali Go. “I think experience in the end won it but kudos to the Young Lions for a good game,” he added.
The win allowed the Bacolod squad to qualify to the next round where they will face Brunei DPMM in the quarterfinals in July.
Photo from Great Eastern Yeo’s S.League
