MANILA – In a 7-0 drubbing at the Aboitiz Pitch in Lipa, Batangas, Ceres-Negros FC continued to hold Philippine Air Force FC’s numbers in the 2019 Philippines Football League.
Robert Lopez-Mendy finished with hat trick on Saturday night while Bienvenido Marañon, Jose Elmer Porteria, Mike Ott, and Dennis Villanueva added a conversion each for the defending champions.
The victory was also a good tune up for the Busmen ahead of its anticipated match up with regional rivals Kaya Futbol Club-Iloilo on Wednesday, Sept. 18, in the same venue.
The Busmen did not get the shots to go early until they drew first blood at the 32nd minute courtesy of Marañon.
It was followed by back-to-back hits by Porteria and Lopez-Mendy in a span of five minutes for a 3-0 halftime score.
The lead grew further for Ceres-Negros in the second half with Lopez-Mendy completing his three-goal showing at the 73rd and 75th mark before Ott and Villanueva put on the finishing touches at the 77th and 81st minute, respectively.
With the victory, Ceres-Negros remains on top of the standings with 43 points on 14 victories and a draw.
The Airmen remains at sixth spot with 11 points, on three wins, two draws and 14 defeats.
Meanwhile, Nimrod Balatbat came up with a goal in the final five minutes as the Mendiola 1991 FC avoided an upset defeat to the Global Makati FC as they settled for a 1-1 draw.
Earlier in the game, Global Makati notched the 1-0 advantage on a penalty kick by Paolo Salenga. With the outcome, Mendiola 1991 is at fifth with 12 points while Global Makati is at seventh and last with six markers./PN
