Loyola survive scare to make cup semis
By Gabriel Tan at the Jalan Besar Stadium
http://www.espnstar.com/football/asian- ... cup-semis/Heading into the game ahead on aggregate after Thursday's 3-1 first-leg win, Loyola raced to a two-goal lead in the first half after goals from James Younghusband and Jake Morallo put them firmly in control of the tie.
However, KBZ pulled one back on the hour mark when Samuel Hanson scored with a terrific strike from the edge of the area, before Khaing Zaw Tun netted another in injury-time to salvage some pride for the Myanmar outfit, although it ultimately wasn't enough as the Sparks advanced to the semi-finals 5-3 on aggregate.
With his side needing goals to keep their cup prospects alive after losing the first leg, Kanbawza set their stall out to attack and they nearly opened the scoring in the fifth minute when a lapse in concentration from Park Min-ho allowed Soe Min Oo a shooting opportunity, although he sent his lob just wide of the target.
Nine minutes later, the designated hosts carved out another opening when Charles Obi received the ball in space after a neat pass from Thein Than Win, although the Nigerian could only fire straight at Ref Cuaresma.
But despite the dominant start from KBZ, it was Loyola who went ahead on the night in the 25th minute when Morallo played a terrific 40-yard crossfield pass into the path of Younghusband, who cleverly rounded Yawai Zin before finding the far corner from an acute angle.
Two minutes after the half-hour mark, Loyola nearly doubled their lead when Mark Hartmann struck a fierce freekick that forced the KBZ goalkeeper into a smart save at his near post.
However, there was to be no denying the Sparks four minutes later when they all but ended the tie when a right-wing cross from Hartmann found Morallo unmarked at the far post. His initial header was well saved by Yawai Zin, but the rebound fell straight to the Loyola midfielder, who made no mistake in planting his follow-up effort into the back of the net to put his side 5-1 up on aggregate.
With their hopes of progressing to the semi-finals fast evaporating, Kanbawza could have been forgiven for giving up hope and letting their opponents run riot. Instead, the deficit only served to spur them on after the restart, and they pulled one back on the hour mark when Obi laid the ball back to the edge of the area, where Hanson proceeded to smash a ferocious left-footed strike in off the crossbar.
Nine minutes later, Obi was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet when he met an excellent cross from Thein Than Win with a header that came back off the woodwork, before the Nigerian was denied by a terrific block from Park 11 minutes from time after finding space inside the box.
Nonetheless, Kanbawza finally got the equaliser their second-half performance deserved in injury-time when Cuaresma inexplicably flapped at a corner, leaving Khaing Zaw Tun with an easy header for Kanbawza's second.
Ultimately, it proved too little too late as Loyola held on to advance to the semi-finals, where they will now meet reigning Great Eastern-YEO's S.League champions Tampines Rovers.
Kanbawza: Yawai Zin, Aung Myat Min, Han Win Aung, Win Min Htut, Nyarna Lwin (Khaing Zaw Tun 77'), Nay Win Aung (Mai Aik Naing 39', Zin Myo Aung 84'), Samuel Hanson, Thein Than Win, Tercio Machado, Soe Min Oo, Charles Obi.
Loyola Meralco Sparks: Ref Cuaresma, Patrick Ozaeta, Jang Jo-won, Park Min-ho, Roxy Dorlas, James Younghusband, Andres Gonzales, Jeong Byeong-yeol, Jake Morallo (Eric Giganto 73'), Mark Hartmann, Philip Younghusband (Jayson Cutamora 65').
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2nd leg Match Highlights
http://www.espnstar.com/videos/item825205/
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