Sparks, Yellow Busmen in titanic PFL clash

FC Meralco Manila seeks to stretch its lead atop the standings as it takes on a tough Ceres Negros FC in the Philippines Football League (PFL) on Wednesday at thePanaadPark and Stadium in Bacolod City.

The Sparks and the Yellow Busmen meet in their second encounter in the inaugural season at 4 p.m.

Meralco Manila enters the highly-anticipated match on the back of a two-game winning run at the expense of Kaya FCMakati and Stallion LagunaFC, which helped them reclaim the pole position.

The capital club copped its first streak minus Phil and James Younghusband as it nipped regional rival Kaya Makati, 21, at the University of Makati Football Stadium then beat Stallion Laguna, 3-2, at the Biñan Football Stadium.

With the two straight victories on the road, the Manileños regained the No. 1 spot with 33 points on a 10-3-2 win-draw-loss record.

Still high from its championship in the Asian Football Confederation Cup Asean Zone, Ceres Negros looks to repeat its demolition of Meralco in their first tussle.

The Visayan club dealt the Manila-based squad its first loss of the season with a 7-0 beatdown at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium on the same day last month.

Ceres also seeks to preserve its unbeaten slate at the Panaad pitch and continue its four-game winning roll as it tries to overtake rival Global Cebu FC on the second spot.

A win for the Negrenses will propel them to No. 2 with 28 points and a massive advantage in goal difference over Global Cebu.

Meanwhile, a skidding Kaya tangles with JPV Marikina FC at 4 p.m. at the University of Makati field.

The Makati booters suffered two straight home defeats at the hands of Meralco and Ceres, snapping their six-game unbeaten run.

JPV Marikina, on the other hand, got back to the winning track with a 5-2 rout of Global on Sunday.