Photo from the PFF – Copa Paulino Alcantara
Fresh from a historic midweek fixture that saw the club play in the AFC Cup for the very first time, Stallion Laguna cruised into the Copa Paulino Alcantara quarter-finals with a resounding 9-1 victory over the Adamson Soaring Falcons at the PFF National Training Center.
Darlton Digha’s charges started brightly, though it was Stallion who had the first big chance in the fourth minute with Shirmar Felongco’s close-range effort denied by Adamson custodian Andrew Nalog. Four minutes later, however, the deadlock was broken when Cristián Ivanobski’s cross was steered home by Japanese striker Yuta Nomura. Nomura would score his second in the 20th minute with a powerful right-footed drive. Griffin McDaniel, who featured heavily in Stallion’s midweek loss to Bali United, joined Nomura on the scoresheet seven minutes later, his curling shot from outside the box sailing past Nalog. With Stallion now in full flow, Nomura came close to completing his hat-trick in a goalmouth scramble. He wouldn’t be denied, however, and scored his third of the match and sixth of the tournament with a diving header in the 39th minute.
In need of fresh legs, Adamson brought on three substitutes at half-time, but their defense was quickly undone just two minutes in by an incisive Felongco pass that found McDaniel, who made no mistake to make it a brace. The Falcons would, however, get the goal they were looking for three minutes later, as substitute Arnulfo Villanueva calmly slotted the ball past Hayeson Pepito to make it 5-1. Stallion veteran Balot Doctora responded with a goal in the 56th minute, and Felongco would poke the ball home to make it seven after a mazy McDaniel run. Stallion were not done though, as Reo Nakamura’s low shot fizzed past Adamson substitute keeper Gabriel Cadisal in the 72nd. Iloilo City native Jo Bedia would complete the rout in the 90th minute.
The impressive 9-1 result saw Stallion top Group C of the Copa with 12 points and a 4-0-1 record, with former Copa finalists Davao Aguilas finishing two points behind. Mendiola FC 1991, after their upset against Stallion two weeks ago, finished in third and qualified as the best third-placed team. Stallion now face a resurgent Maharlika Manila in the quarter-finals on September 29 and travel to Australia on October 4, where a tough Central Coast Mariners outfit awaits them.
LINEUPS:
Adamson – Halog (Cadisal 62’), Buenaobra, Barra (Salubre 62’), Mahinay, Arañas (Martinez 76’), Empleo (Cuento 76’), Francisco, Casing, Banagodos (Macatiag 46’), Coquilla (Villanueva 46’), Alforte (Napili 46’)
Stallion – Pepito, Beaton (Doctora 46’), McDaniel (Toledo 83’), Ivanobski (Bedia 62’), Bonanken (Pickering 73’), Kallukaran (Pryde 46’), Belgira, Felongco (Ford 73’), Schaffner, Menzi, Nomura (Nakamura 62’)
