MANILA – Kaya Futbol Club-Iloilo and Tampines Rovers of Singapore fought out to a scoreless draw in the 2020 Asian Football Confederation Cup group stage at the Rizal Memorial Football stadium here on Feb. 26.
With the result, the Iloilo City-based football club kept hold of the tournament’s Group H leader board with four points, while the Rovers also have the same points but is inferior in goal difference (total number of goals scored versus total number of goals conceded) to stay at second.
Both teams had the opportunity to break the game’s deadlock with Tampines’ Jordan Webb nearly surging his team ahead, while Negrense Jayson Panhay also had his chance for Kaya-Iloilo.
Kaya-Iloilo goalkeeper Louie Casas, meanwhile, showed his wares in the second half with his crucial saves, including one from Tampines forward Boric Kopitovic late in the match.
Ceres-Negros F.C., on the other hand, failed to take home court advantage after settling to a 2-2 draw with Vietnam’s Than Quảng Ninh at the same venue on Feb. 25.
The Busmen surrendered a 1-0 deficit to the Vietnamese when forward Jermie Lynch eluded its defenders in the 26th minute. Ceres-Negros responded with a penalty kick from Spanish striker Bienvenido Maranon to tie the count at the half.
The Negrenses notched the lead early in the second half on a 62nd minute hit by Jose Elmer Porteria, but Than Quảng Ninh found a way to equalize at 2-2 as Nguyen Hai Huy converted from close range territory in the 70th minute.
The Negros Occidental-based football still remains on top of Group G with four points on a win and a draw, while Than Quang Ninh is at fourth and last with a point./PN
