Ceres closes in on Pres Cup

Matches today (Panaad Stadium)

5 p.m. – Ceres La Salle vs FC HTTU

7:30 p.m. – Tatung vs Rimyongsu

MANILA, Philippines - Azkals Patrick Reichelt and Juani Guirado provided the heroics once more as Ceres La Salle FC closed in on a historic berth to the final round of the AFC President’s Cup with a 2-0 disposal of Tatung of Chinese-Taipei in Thursday night’s Cup Group B qualifiers at Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.

Reprising their heroes’ roles in their 2-2 draw with fancied Rimyonsgu of North Korea Tuesday, Fil-German Reichelt put Ceres on the board with a volley in the 17th minute while Fil-Spanish Guirado, who played with fever, delivered a superb diving header three minutes before the final whistle to score the W before 6,000 delighted supporters.

With the triumph, Ceres vaulted to the top of the four-team field with four points on 1-1-0 win-draw-loss slate, taking the position over FC HTTU Asgabat of Turkmenistan (four points on 1-1-0) by virtue of more goals scored.

Rimyongsu, which battled HTTU Asgabat to a 1-1 stalemate Thursday, had two points to show while Tatung (0-0-2) brought up the rear.

Ceres shoots for history today when it plays Asgabat at 5 p.m. for  a spot in the President’s Cup finale in September. A win will automatically net the Bacolod-based booters their milestone berth while a draw might still be enough depending on the result of Rimyongsu’s 7:30 p.m. matchup with Tatung.

“We’ll give our 200 percent against Turkmenistan,” said Ceres team manager Ali Bernard Go.

Not given much attention at the start, Ceres surprised the field with a pair of impressive performances to get into good position to advance.

The Ceres booters made pre-tourney fave Rimyongsu play catch up in a fighting 2-2 draw, with defender Guirado and Reichet delivering the goods in a game where the North Koreans actually had more ball possession.

They were more attack-minded against The Taiwanese and first pulled through with Reichelt volleying it home off a fine delivery by Carli de Murga 17 minutes into the match.

Reichelt won a free kick 70 minutes later that Ceres consummated with Angelo Marasigan swinging it into the Tatung area for Guirado to finish with a diving header.