THE end of the road for FC Meralco’s title dream arrived on Saturday night as Global Cebu came from behind to draw the Sparks 1-1 in the second leg of their Philippines Football League semifinal.
Coupled with Cebu’s 2-1 triumph a week earlier in the first leg, Cebu reached its first-ever PFL championship match on Dec. 16, thanks to a better 3-2 aggregate score.
The Cebuano club will square off against Ceres Negros in a one-game contest.
The Busmen’s 2-1 second-leg victory over Kaya on Saturday gave them a 3-1 aggregate win.
Curt Dizon struck for Manila in the second minute, but the visitors got the vital equalizer from Rufo Sanchez late.
The big crowd at Rizal Memorial had barely settled in their seats when Dizon controlled a Tyler Matas long throw from the left flank and artfully lobbed the ball over a static Global defense. Cebu keeper Pat Deyto got fingers to the attempt but not enough to prevent the ball from trickling into the net.
As it stood, Meralco was through to the final at this point. Although the teams were level on aggregate-goals, Manila did get a tie-breaking away goal in the first leg, even though Global, the nominal away team then, actually played both games on Manila’s turf. Scheduling issues in Cebu prevented Global from hosting a semis game.
The goal woke Global up, and the visitors responded with several chances. Pika Minegishi was wide off a free kick midway through the half, and at the half hour mark Paolo Salenga shot weakly at Manila goalie Jun Badelic.
In the 38th Rufo Sanchez nearly leveled on the night but his header off a Minegishi free kick clanged off the woodwork. Just before the half Wes Dos Santos shot over for Cebu.
Early in the second half Badelic came up big, stoning Sanchez with a foot save.