Written by: Phoon Jia Hui

A brace from Paolo Salenga on either side of half-time helped Global Cebu FC to a 3-1 win over Cambodian outfit Boeung Ket FC in their RHB Singapore Cup 2017 quarter-final first leg encounter at Jalan Besar Stadium on Tuesday night.

Misagh Bahadoran was the other name on the scoresheet for Global as it rendered Khuon Laboravy’s successful penalty conversion inconsequential with the People’s Club placing a foot in the last four of the competition.

Putting the Boeung Ket defence on the back foot from the get go, Global drew first blood after seven minutes as Salenga finished acrobatically after Bahadoran’s effort was parried into his path.

Akbar Nawas’ side controlled proceedings after the opener and were largely on top as they came close to doubling their lead in the 17th minute. Darryl Roberts however, glanced a header wide off a cross from the right.

Slowly finding their feet, the designated hosts would carve out two goalscoring opportunities through Samuel Ajayi and Sok Sovan but they were unable to trouble Global custodian Patrick Deyto on both occasions.

Hikaru Minegishi drilled one inches wide of Yaty in the 37th minute but there was no denying Global a second goal which they got on the stroke of half-time.

After latching onto a through ball, skipper Bahadoran sped past his marker before calmly slotting past an onrushing Yaty.

Hao Socheat’s men came out of the restart with all guns blazing and duly pulled one back in the 53rd minute when a penalty was awarded after Esoh Omogba was bundled over inside the box.

Up stepped captain Laboravy as he sent Deyto the wrong way from the spot to reduce the deficit.

That goal seemed to spur Boeung Ket on as they created two chances in quick succession, with Jerry Barbasao racing back in time to clear Ajayi’s weak shot before an unmarked Laboravy somehow stabbed wide at the far post.

But they were made to rue those misses as Salenga sealed victory for Global on 68 minutes, finishing clinically off Minegishi’s left-wing cross for his second of the night.

Dennis Villanueva saw his effort pushed around the post by Yaty six minutes from time, before Wesley Dos Santos cleared Rous Samoeum’s shot in the dying moments but it would matter little as Global hung on for a crucial win.

The two teams will face off again in the return leg scheduled to take place at Jalan Besar Stadium on Friday night as Boueng Ket seek to overturn a two-goal deficit.

Boeung Ket FC Head Coach Hao Socheat: “We played well today but failed to convert the chances that we created. At the back, we made a number of mistakes and were punished – something we are looking to improve on ahead of the second leg.

“But I felt we matched our opponents today as we limited them to only a few clear chances which I’m happy about. We now have to go out and attack in the second leg and try to get a result.”

Global Cebu FC Head Coach Akbar Nawas: “Of course, I’m happy to take this scoreline into the second leg but I’d be even happier if we got an additional goal (or two).

“Everyone in the team – from the players to the coaching staff – deserves a pat on their backs. With a congested fixture list in mind, our focus now is on recovery, both body and mind. We now have a new game on Friday, the result cannot be on our minds, that we have two goal advantage. We will go out there, play our best and see what result we can get.”

 

Boeung Ket FC: Sou Yaty (GK), Ly Vahed (Sok Pheng 46’), Sok Sovan, Hikaru Mizuno (Sath Rosib 84’), Math Yamoin, Khuon Laboravy (C), Ly Mizan (Chhun Sothearath 73’), Khiev Vibol, Rous Samoeum, Esoh Omogba, Ajayi Samuel

Global Cebu FC: Patrick Deyto (GK), Serge Kaole (Fritz Brigoli 89’), Dennis Villanueva, Misagh Bahadoran (C), Paolo Bugas, Jerry Barbaso, Hikaru Minegishi, Darryl Roberts, Paolo Salenga (Marvin Bricenio 89’), Marco Casambre (Mario Clarino 60’), Wesley Dos Santos