Leyte FC , Ceres-DLSU hold off rivals

MANILA, Philippines - Leyte Football Association’s Global FC and Negros Occidental FA’s Ceres-La Salle Bacolod used big second half charges to rout their respective rivals and inch closer to the finals of the Philippine Football Federation-Smart National Club Championship at the Panaad pitch in Bacolod City yesterday.

Global needed a three-goal second half effort capped by a brace from Fil-Brit Mark Hartmann to trounce an upset-conscious Cavite FA’s Flame United Cherifer, 4-0, and zero in on the gold medal round of the event staking P100,000 to the eventual winner.

Ceres, seeking back-to-back championships, likewise unleashed a three-goal second half en route to a 5-1 triumph against Baguio FA’s Benguet State U to likewise boost its bid for a return trip to the finals.

Global and Ceres, which finished top of their respective groups, go for the clinchers today.

Spanish striker Rufo Sanchez unloaded a brilliant goal on the 31st minute to open up the scoring for the United Football League powerhouse team, which went into halftime with a shaky 1-0 edge.

And then Global went on attack mode in the second half with Fil-Spanish and Azkals star Angel Guirado blazing through with a 59th minute rocket that Hartmann followed with two goals in a hurry on the 68th and 70th to seal the deal.