PFL: JPV Marikina FC tries to arrest skid
HAVING lost its last two matches in the Philippines Football League (PFL), JPV Marikina FC tries to arrest its skid and get back on the winning track as its takes on Stallion Laguna FC in the scheduled 4 p.m. match today at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.
Absorbed back-to-back losses to FC Meralco Manila Sparks, 2-1, and Kaya FC- Makati, 2- 0, JPV has seen itself drop from its top two position previously to fifth currently in the standings with a record of six wins and four losses with 18 points.
Against Kaya last time around, JPV did a good job containing the host team in the first half, forcing a goalless draw by halftime.
Things turned around for the worse for JPV in the second fold, however, as it saw Kaya score two goals care of the forward tandem of Jordan Mintah and Robert Mendy in the 60th and 80th minute, respectively.
The goals proved just enough to win as JPV could not recover from them en route to slumping to the loss.
A muddy field at the University of Makati Stadium did not help its cause, JPV said, but it did not use it as an excuse for the defeat and said it will try to bounce back in its next game.
“Today’s game was very hard considering the field’s condition but even then, we still needed to focus and adjust to the situation. Today, it was so hard for us to build up from mid to strikers and we lacked communication. We need to give confidence to every player, support each other, and we need to take chances outside the box. Lesson learned today. There is always room for improvement. We need to focus this coming week and bounce back to get 3 points,” said midfielder J Baguioro after their game.
“That is football. Even if it’s grass or if it’s artificial, you have to play. Our strength is on artificial turf, or on good grass, but today it was a little bit muddy, it was difficult to combine. It wasn’t working for us on this field, but we will adjust next time,” JPV Marikina head coach Dan Padernal, for his part, said.
Out to foil JPV today is Stallion Laguna, which is coming off a 1-1 draw in its game in Ilocos at the weekend.
Stallion saw a golden chance to book its first win in the PFL derailed by bad weather at halftime at the President Elpidio Quirino Stadium in Vigan City against home team Ilocos United FC.
With PFL rules stating that games abandoned at halftime are already considered full time, Ilocos and United had to settle for a draw and got a point each.
The result left Stallion still winless with a 0-4-7 record and four points, good for seventh place to date.
Meanwhile, later in the day will see Kaya take on Ilocos at the UMak Stadium at 7 p.m.
Kaya ( 6- 2- 3) has won three straight while Ilocos (0-3-7) continues to bottom- scrape in the standings. —