Sports: 2012 NFL Ceres Defends its Crown Against Dynamic Builders, 2-1

Ceres Football Club successfully defended its crown against archrival Dynamic Builders FC, 2-1, last Sunday during the championship match of the 1st Conference of the 2012 North Football League at the Ayala North football pitch.

Ceres team captain Dave Javellana said the victory was all team effort. Everybody contributed to achieve the victory from the coaching staff and to their team manager and to all the players, Javellana further said.

As the match started on time, Ceres FC had the first ball possession and the game was literally physical in the first twenty minutes of play eager to get the first goal.

When the ball finally penetrated the tight defense, Arvin Villaruel sent the entire Ceres squad in jubilation after scoring the opening goal in the 23rd minute via an excellent pass from John Trompeta. Trompeta attacked Dynamic FC defense from the left flank inside the penalty box and drew keeper Robert Mendoza’s defense, leaving an opening on the right flank. With a goal unguarded, Villaruel sprinted towards the danger zone as the ball was timely passed on him at the very mouth of the goal which stunned the whole Dynamic FC bench.

With the Norman Fegidero-mentored Ceres leading at 1-nil, the battle got hotter and more physical. These resulted to two free kicks for the Ricardo Yanson Jr.-managed Dynamic squad.

Dynamic FC defender Jason Cordova first who took the shot from 20 yards from the upper left just above the penalty box but went directly to the hands of Ceres’ keeper Michael Casas. Next opportunity came for Dynamic when Jason Panhay tried to nail his team’s first goal, but was also saved by Casas.

Even the 2-minute injury time after the first 40 minutes of play did not worked on Dynamic’s goal try.

Ceres led the halftime, 1-nil.

Just a few minutes after the resumption of the second half, Ceres’ midfielder Eliseo Palo-mo got the opportunity to score his team’s second goal after attacking the disorganized Dynamic defense. Keeper Men-doza bravely defended his post when he tried to save the ball from Palomo. However, the eager Palomo forced Mendoza to loss possession of the ball but fortunate to recover and secured it for the second time.

Several minutes later, Ceres earned another chance to extend the lead with Trompeta taking a free kick but his shot hit the cross bar.

Not easily giving up the game, Dynamic Builders countered with a strong attack on Ceres defense led by skipper Ali Rojas Go. The team’s effort paid off getting several corner shots and free kicks.

And, in the 55th minute, midfielder Jaime Poderoso equalized the match on a follow-up off the shot of Go, which hit the bottom left of the bar after slightly deflected by Ceres’ goalie Casas.

Poderoso’s goal silenced the Ceres’ bench, but short-lived as Ricardo Garcia sent a header from an outstanding cross pass from Russel Nene in the 60th minute. Nene was on top of upper right side above the penalty box when he saw Garcia approaching the danger zone from the weak side and sent a brilliant pass to Garcia who stunned Dynamic keeper Mendoza.

The 2-1 advantage then fueled other Ceres’ booters to strengthen their attacks on the opponent’s defense.

Edmund Escalona almost sent in Ceres’ third goal with his flashy attack inside the penalty box, escaping Dynamic’s back four, but failed after Mendoza saved the ball.

The Leo Rey Yanson-managed Ceres squad then intelligently used the time to secure the lead until the clock expired.

In a post-game interview with Ceres head coach Fegidero, he first congratulated Dynamic Builders FC for a good performance during their last Sunday’s championship match. The former national men’s football team head coach explained that Dynamic’s performance boasted their team to play at par so that they can win the championship. If not because of Dynamic’s performance, they might have committed some lapses.

Fegidero said they have prepared well on their defense in order to prevent Dynamic’s key players, who they think will deliver. That’s why they were able to anticipate Dynamic’s offense.

On the other hand, Dynamic Builders FC skipper Go said that it’s the break of the game that even Barcelona FC can loss to any team, especially when you’re unlucky.

He admitted that some of his teammates played well but others seemed to be tired. "Almost half of our players have an off night performance.

But it doesn’t matter. We created our chances but it didn’t go in. We made our mistakes in defense and then we were punished by that," he explained.

"But for their (Ceres) attack, they don’t have a clear attack. However, we made our own mistakes that created their goals," Go stressed.

Meanwhile, Ceres players got most of the awards after Villaruel was named Most Valuable Player as his teammate Casas was awarded as Best Goal Keeper and Lemuel Unabia as Best Defender.

Dynamic’s Poderoso and Go were named the Best Midfielder and Best Striker, respectively while Michael Pacite was named as the Most Improved Player and Fair Play Award was given to Las Buenas football Club.

The awarding ceremony was held at 21 Restaurant along Lacson Street last Sunday.

Tournament manager Ramon Janeo said that the league’s 2nd Conference will tentatively kick off on the third week of May.*