BACOLOD City-based Ceres-La Salle FC fought hard to keep the Philippine flag waiving over Jalan Besar Stadium on Wednesday, but their effort was not good enough to survive the semi-finals of the RHB Singapore Cup.
Ceres FC, downed 1-2 against Tampines Rovers in the two-leg semis after their Sunday loss, lead early 1-0 on Wednesday as tournament scoring leader Stephan Schrock nailed a penalty in the 12th minute.
Rovers’ Hafiz Sujad equalized the score in the 57th minute before Patrick Reichelt doubled Ceres’s output in the 78th minute ending the regulation at 2-1.
With both sides tied at three-all on aggregate, the match went into an extra time with Ceres stretched out and downed to nine men. Rovers maximized the match-up advantage and Afiq Yunos connected in the 105th minute and Saifullah Akbar sealed the win in the 112th minute.
Rovers will advance to the finals against the winner between defending champions Albirex Niigata of Japan and Balestier Khalsa of Singapore.
With the ouster, Ceres FC will now focus in the ongoing United Football League where they are currently No. 3 behind undefeated Global FC (12-1 win-draw) and Loyola Meralco Sparks FC (10-3 win-loss).
Threatening Ceres is No.4 JP Voltes with nine wins, two draws, and three losses in this league where the top team gets an outright spot in next year’s AFC Cup.
