Semifinals
Preview: Ceres vs. Kaya
by rick olivares
4pm Saturday
Rizal Memorial Football Stadium
Can Ceres continue its giant killing
ways when it goes up against Kaya in their semifinals match up?
One wonders if any other club will
allow themselves to be ambushed the way Stallion and Global fell to Ceres. The
Bacolod-based club came out strong then parked the bus once they got their
go-ahead goal. It’s hardly their fault as the defenses of Stallion and Global
all but gobbled up their midfield making it impossible for Ceres to mount any
build-up save for smash and grab tactics off the counter. Think of that
Champions League match between Chelsea-Barcelona match then you’ll know what I
am trying to say.
Nevertheless, one cannot underestimate
Ceres because there is definite quality in their team. I like the toughness of
Jason Panhay and Rolando Treyes. Along with J. Baguioro, coming off the bench,
the three of them play no fuss football. Pass, run into space, and then look
for an open teammate after which they’ll make another pass. When they lose the
ball, they immediately chase after whoever pilfered it from them.
It has been the hallmark of their team
for as long as I have watched Ceres football (from the Suzuki Under-23 National
Cup to the Uni-Games to a local tournament). They’re like ghosts in the
machine; silent operators who are proponents of possession-based football. And
to think this isn’t their entire team just yet as quite a few are injured.
The pieces they’ve added to the puzzle
are perfect for their offense. Englishmen Peter Long and Danny Claxton, playing
with Ceres only for the Smart National Club Championship, add a huge dimension
with their brilliant passing and good reads on offense and defense. If they
were fully fit imagine what more they can do.
As for their Korean players, we’ve
seen what they have done with Loyola, Stallion, and General Trias – tireless
and talented workhorses with a good feel for the game.
I suspect that with all the new
players, they have not exactly gotten their offense down pat, hence, their
bogged down attack. It would be interesting to see them on a longer basis but
for now we’ll have to be content to watch them in this Smart Club
Championships.
If Ceres hasn’t completely jelled then
I can make the same case for Kaya as they are under Maur Rozen, their fourth
head coach in the last three years. They looked like a team not totally in sync
against Loyola but it was their defense that bailed them out. And why is that
so? They are missing Lexton Moy and Prince Boley who were staples of their
midfield play. Chris Greatwich didn’t look so good in the first half against
Loyola but the second half version reminded me of the Greatwich of old – a
silent operator who would sneak up on you with booming shots or well-placed
set-ups.
Kaya looked promising again with the
return of OJ Porteria. This kid’s got a howitzer for a boot and the speed to
match quicksilver wingers like Patrick Reichelt or those guys from General
Trias. Kaya didn’t get too many shots inside against Loyola as they had
difficulty making that final pass to their forwards; a problem I have pointed
out time and again. Porteria got in several licks but save for his shot that
scored, all were from the outside.
Porteria and Jonah Romero help out but
their central mids have to create options in the middle to open the game up.
Ceres tends to crowd the midfield. Kaya will have to be a lot faster with their
decisions on the ball if they want to make things happen. And forwards Nate
Burkey and Eric Dagroh will have to work a little harder to place pressure on
Ceres’ defense.
Crucial match up? Kaya’s Kross Ubiam
versus Ceres’ Peter Long. If Ubiam can stop Long then Ceres will be in for a
long day.
I thought that Rozen’s substitutions
in their quarterfinals against Loyola were brilliant and bold. From Onyema
Ikechukwu to Vince Ocampo to Toshi Hosoe, they all made their presence felt.
Ceres head coach Freddie Lazarito also
sent in an impact sub with Baguioro.
The defense will be the decider here
but so will the midfield. Whoever scores first will have that massive advantage
as both team’s defenses do not readily concede down the stretch.
prediction: ceres 2-0 kaya! the last two games were a confidence build-up for ceres. pretty sure they're very comfortable now and will have a more fluent game.
ReplyDeleteKaya wont know what hit them.. CERES 1-0 Kaya!
ReplyDeleteFT: 3-0 CERES v KAYA
ReplyDelete