Ambush at
RMFS
by rick olivares
One goal. One of two attempts (unlike
the singular chance in the win over Stallion). One more huge if not
controversial win.
Ceres continues its incredible march
towards football immortality when it advances to the semifinal round of the
Smart National Club Championships following a pulsating 1-0 win over Global at
the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium last Saturday, January 19.
From the moment of kick-off, rather
than stalk their foe warily to gauge the game plan, Ceres blindsided Global
with their pace and aggressiveness as they attacked, pressed, and tackled. “We
wanted to take them off their rhythm,” said team manager Ali Go. “I think we
surprised them.”
The blitzkrieg of sorts unsettled
Global and in only the 12th minute of play, English striker Peter
Long was the recipient of a short pass at the center of the edge of the box.
With Global defender Val Kama two feet away, Long, whose one-touch passing and
quickness to the ball galvanized Ceres’ attack, turned and fired towards the
far post. The ball evaded the outstretched arms of keeper Roland Sadia and just
like that, the visitors were up, 1-0.
For top sides that start slow, more
often than not, an early goal by an opponent jars their senses. Global began to
assert itself both on defense and offense as they took command of the field.
With the adrenaline wearing off and
perhaps a question of fitness and conditioning, Peter Long, who arrived from
the University of Central Lancashire, along with defender Danny Claxton to play
for Ceres for this tournament, was finally checked. With strike mate Jimuel
Arriola mostly useless on offense and defense, Ceres’ attack bogged down.
The injury to Ceres midfielder Rolando
Treyes who was cautioned after a reckless tackle on Carli De Murga further
rendered their offense toothless.
The game got contentious with what
Global perceived as the dangerous tackles where Ceres players who nip at their
heels or undercut them. Treyes’ tackle even bore some controversy when he went
down and referee Wilfredo Bermejo called for the stretcher. But Treyes soon got
up and walked off the pitch under his own power for treatment in the sidelines.
“That’s a second yellow card,” argued Global team manager Dan Palami because of
the delay of the game and what they also thought to be a ploy to break their
momentum.
Bermejo remained silent despite the
vociferous complaints of Global’s staff. “It’s the referee’s decision,” was all
fourth official Steve Supresencia offered but Global would not take any
consolation.
However prior to that, Ceres had a
bone to pick with the match officials. In their Bacolod match against Stallion,
midfielder Byeong Yun Yoon was issued two yellow cards that saw him sent off.
One of those cards was for his putting a cloth like wristband that he uses to
wipe off his sweat. FIFA rules do not allow the use of wristbands, sweatbands
or anything of that sort but leagues are also allowed for their own
interpretation.
Ceres assistant Mon Janeo attests that
Yoon was allowed to wear such and the team was surprised to see him sent off
later on for that reason. They filed a protest based on that but the technical
committee rendered no judgment.
When the Negrenses took the Rizal
Memorial Football Stadium pitch, they were surprised to see a few Global
players with tape around their arms. They protested immediately.
Minutes after the match started,
someone from the tournament’s technical committee informed the referees to stop
the match and have the Global players remove the tape. This drew the ire of
Global head coach Brian Reid and Palami. “They were inspected and they were
allowed to wear it and now in the middle of the match you are going to ask them
to remove it?” thundered Palami. “You have to do your jobs right.”
Two early controversies and the game
was getting started. Following Long’s stunning strike and Global finally waking
from it stupor, the match suddenly was eerily reminiscent of the 2011 UFL Cup
Finals between Air Force and Loyola where the latter rained shot after shot at
the former’s goal but only for the goalkeeper and the defense to stem the tide
as they took a win on a pair of counters.
It was the same thing as Global
unleashed a barrage from close and long range. Carli de Murga had some terrific chances. So did Izzo El Habbib. But with Ceres throwing the
entire parking lot behind their defensive half of the field and Korean keeper
Jae Hun Hyeon stopping shot after shot, Global was undone.
The visitors had a second magnificent
opportunity to double their score when they drew Global’s defense to the right
and a cross and a dummy gave substitute Gun Hee Choi an opening, an unmarked
and unchallenged opportunity to score. But instead he blasted it wide.
Yet even in the endgame, there was
controversy. With four minutes added time, Bermejo blew his whistle with 1:145
left to play as an angry Global side walked off while team officials confronted
them
“It’s okay to lose because that’s
football,” said Palami. “But the referees have to do their jobs right and not
leave room for doubt. It’s small consolation to own ball possession when you
cannot convert. We will write the PFF and tell them that the officials should
apply the laws of the game and to be fair. We are not filing a protest and are
only making our thoughts known. The only thing that matters after the game is
the result and we must commend Ceres for that. They have done well and we wish
them good luck the rest of the way.”
A gleeful Ceres side celebrated and
danced on the pitch while their supporters, numbering a couple of dozens and
decked in yellow, wildly cheered on. “It’s an amazing feeling,” beamed Ali Go.
“Whether we got lucky or not, we won and we showed everyone that there is
talent outside Manila. We made a strong case for Bacolod football. And we are
moving on.”
Note: After the match, Ceres midfielder Joshua Beloya said
that he will not join the Philippine Dolphins, the Beach Football National Team
in a tournament in Qatar, as his side advanced to the next stage of the Smart National Club Championship.
Dolphins player Kale Alvarez in a phone interview from NAIA, who coached Kaya in
their last season, expressed dismay. “I am not sure what the arrangement is but
sana hindi na lang siya nag-commit. We could have chosen someone else to take
his place early. We are trying now to find a replacement. But at the moment we
are a man short.” The national team has Army’s Roel Gener and Nestor Margarse,
Air Force keeper Tats Mercado, Nomads’ midfielder Jason Arroyo, and
Fil-foreigners Oliver Potschke and Sean Hungerford.
My
man of the match for Ceres? Left back Hyung Min Sim. He was much shorter than Global’s Patrick Reichelt
but he gamely battled him all match long. At one point, he stuck out his tongue
– a sign that he was tiring. Ali Go looked at him to ask if he could continue
and Sim gave him the thumbs up sign. He figuratively killed himself on defense
chasing Reichelt and Jerry Barbaso. He looked shaky at times as he was about to
concede space but he always came back. I was impressed. Said Go afterwards: “That
is why he is one of my favorite players. He doesn’t know the word “quit.”
crybaby palami! lol you're lucky those players were not yellow-carded for wearing armbands, unlike that ceres player who received a yellow card which contributed to his being sent off for doing the same..
ReplyDelete"FIFA rules do not allow the use of wristbands, sweatbands or anything of that sort but leagues are also allowed for their own interpretation."
ReplyDeleteThere is no present rule in FIFA that prohibits the use of wristbands/sweatbands. If ever there was any prohibition that was in the past.
FIFA’s Equipment Regulations dated March 2010 specifically V Section I “ Special Equipment for Players” Article 24.2 Headbands& Wristbands provides and I quote “The Players may wear a headband or wristbands.”
Likewise, FIFA Laws of the Game Law 4 does not have any prohibition on that either. It just enumerates the requirements of basic equipment and prohibits specifically the use of jewelry or anything that may cause any physical harm to the player and others.
Unless the headbands and wristbands were not used to conceal certain prohibited items such as jewelry there is no violation.
Therefore, Ceres has all the right to file a protest since obviously there was an error in the referee’s disciplinary decision because the referee's decision did not represent any violation in the FIFA Laws.
The Technical Committee on the other hand must render judgement base on the facts and Fifa's ruling------this should have been addressed and settled before the next stage of the tournament. There is no reason to sit on the case. All FIFA Laws and Circulars are readily available at their website.If they have any doubts on the FIFA Rules they should visit their site.
Regarding the tape the global players used even if the officials intially approved its use as Global claims--------if the Referee discovers that the tape was being used to conceal jewelry or has some hidden object underneath that may pose a danger to a player/s----the referee is authorized to have the tape removed anytime but this is the responsibility of the Referee and not the Tech Com.
Hope this officials review the rules of the game so the credibility of the competition will be maintained.
The complaint of Palami regarding the referee's "Failure" to issue another yellow card to Treyes for walking off and not leaving the pitch using a stretcher is without basis. Based on the Laws of the Game 2012 a player may choose to walk off the pitch or use a stretcher for treatment.
ReplyDeleteThis is clearly expressed in law 5 "“as soon as the referee has authorized the doctors to enter the field of play, the player must leave the field of play, EITHER ON A STRETCHER OR BY FOOT.”
His accusation that Ceres was deploying some delaying tactics is just his opinion not a fact.
I likewise agree that Global was lucky that unlike Ceres the player received a yellow card for using a sweatband. Headbands,sweatbands are allowed by FIFA ------it is clearly stated in the rules and several players to name a few Drogba, Sergie Ramos, Marcelo,Dani Alves have used sweatbands during the last Fifa World Cup and there are many photos to prove that.
It is also clearly stated in the same rules that when a player's uniform is not in compliance with FIFA rules the player is asked to comply and a caution may only be issued if he wilfully refuses to comply OR having been told to remove the item, is discovered to be wearing the item again.So an outright yellow is not in line with Fifa Rules.
whoever this mr/ms. anonymous enlightening with fifa rules, thanks! nice job.
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