CERES-LA Salle needed a penalty shootout to dethrone Kaya FC, 8-7, on Wednesday night at the Rizal Memorial Stadium to arrange a final showdown with Global FC in the United Football League Cup.
Goalkeeper Michael Casas saved two spot kicks, including a retake, by Woody Ugarte, before Juani Guirado struck the marginal goal in the shootout as the Busmen survived a Kaya side that fought back from a goal down even after going a man down in the second half.
Ceres set up a date in the final with Global, which shut out Stallion FC, 2-0, in their Final Four matchup earlier.
“In these types of games, whoever wants it more, wins,” Ceres coach Ali Go said. “And in the shootout, it was just fifty-fifty.”
“Kudos to Kaya,” he added.
In a rematch of last year’s Cup final, Ceres took a 3-2 lead at the half as Carli de Murga, Patrick Reichelt, and Adrian Gallardo found the net.
But the Busmen squandered the cushion despite Kaya going a man down in the 61st minute when Jovin Bedic was sent off after picking up a second yellow card, with Louis Clark firing the equalizing goal 12 minutes after coming in the 58th.
The match went back and forth until the final buzzer of extra time as the match headed into penalty shootout.
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