Ceres whips Global, 4-1 to win PFL inaugural title

REIGNING AFC Cup Asean Zonal champion Ceres Negros FC beat AFC Cup Zonal semi-finalist Global Cebu FC, 4-1 Saturday night at Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City to become the 2017 Philippines Football League (PFL) inaugural champion.

"Man of the Match" Iain Ramsay scored three goals, two in the first half and the clincher in the second half, while Bienvenido Marañon added one to avenge their defeat to the same club in last year's United Football League, PFL's forerunner.

Without coach Risto Vidakovic in the sidelines for suspension, the Busmen played like drivers possessed as they sideswept Global with three successive hits in the opening half.

The Busmen came out with a solid start as they took early control of the game flow as Marañon opened the scoring in the fourth minute off a cross from Ramsay.

Global FC Spanish forward Rufo Sanchez almost equalized the scoreboard on a counter, but his shot hit the crossbar. The Cebu-based club got some goal chances, but Roland Muller had his best night with awesome saves keeping a clean sheet in the first half of the final showdown.

Ramsay, playing his last game for the Busmen, unleashed two goals in eight minutes after beating Global keeper Patrick Deyto in the 20th on a pass from Stephan Schrock who outran Global’s defense. Junior Muñoz who picked a ball from the sideline, went all the way inside the box before realizing the ball to Ramsay on perfect set-up in the 28th minute.

Ceres tried to connect with another goal in the closing minutes, but failed as the first 45 minutes ended with a 3-0 lead.

In the second half, Ramsay scored the hat-trick in the 61st minute off a pass from Patrick Reichelt who got an assist from Marañon in the right flank.

It was in the 89th minute when Darryl Roberts found some space and scored Global’s lone goal through a deep roll near the right post.

Ramsay, who will be leaving Ceres Negros FC for another club in Australia, made his best performance for last giving Negrense fans something to remember until his return maybe in the future.

His outstanding “despedida” acrobatics somehow proved that Ceres has reached its goal of working together, returning to the AFC Cup and winning the initial staging of PFL.

Before Saturday's classic finale, Ceres and Global have met twice in the finals of different competitions. Ceres La Salle won the UFL FA League Cup, 1-0 in 2014.

Then Global FC clinched the 2016 UFL Cup Final over Ceres, 3-1.

Ceres’s victory Saturday will send them to an AFC Champions League with Myanmar as its opponent.

For now, the Busmen will savor its latest conquest, have a nice vacation, and be back on training just in time for the next tournament.

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