Ceres FC booters turn back Archers

Ceres-La Salle FC battled back from a one-goal deficit to beat Green Archers United, 4-1, and take the top spot in Group A heading to the quarterfinals of the United Football League Cup Saturday night at Rizal Memorial Stadium.

The Bacolod-based club spoiled GAU’s upset plans by scoring four goals in the last 27 minutes of the match to finish group play with a perfect 12 points (4-0-0 win-draw-loss card).

GAU settled for second in the bracket with nine points (3-0-1) but still advanced to the Last-8 against the topnotcher of Group D, undefeated Global FC (12 points).

Sparked by Mark Hartmann’s hat-trick (12’, 37, 41’), Global capped its group assignments with a comfortable 5-1 disposal of Laos FC also Saturday.

In other Group D matchup, Manila Jeepney dominated Nomads, 7-0, to improve to six points (2-0-1) and boost its bid for the remaining quarterfinal spot.

Manila Jeepney needs only a draw in its next game against Laos FC tomorrow to join Global into the next stage.

Robert Lopez Mendy slammed it on the back of the net three minutes in as GAU drew first blood and threatened to drop the axe on Ceres.

The Ceres booters took until the 63rd to break through with Lee Jeong Woo blasting the equalizer on a breakaway. Bienvenido Maranon put Ceres ahead with a finish off Adrian Gallardo Valdez’s delivery a minute later.

Valdez and Maranon switched roles at the 69th to extend the lead to 3-1 before Jeffrey Christiaens put the game out of reach with his 81st minute connection.