CoPA '21 Semi-Finals: Stallion v Azkals DT

With the 2021 Copa Paulino Alcantara on the line, Stallion Laguna lock horns with the Azkals Development Team. Stallions, who have been playing at the highest level in local football since the United Football League days, are still in search of their first PFL-era silverware. Meanwhile the ADT, being one of the best gateways to the Philippine National Football team, is looking to prove that we have a bright future by vying for the same.

And we have kick-off...

The early few minutes was end-to-end stuff with both Stallions and the young Azkals putting good plays in and both threatening their opponents. While the Laguna-based team worked on their quick counters and speed, the ADT was playing with a combination of long and short passes.

Action was already building by the 8th minute when McDaniel found Abou Sy with a nicely placed through ball ahead of space with just Kammeraad to beat. The ADT keeper had to charge all the way out of his box just to stop that play. It did lead to a foul and a yellow card for that Kammeraad tackle, though.

The ADT did remind the Stallions why they're in the Semis too, with a good ball into the box from Belgira who found the head of Gallantes, who then tried to head it into the path of Chung. But Pepito had other ideas, taking care of business, and taking Chung down in the process.

Chung's fall was met with penalty calls from the ADT players, but the referee, Steve Supresencia, was having none of it. The score remained nil-nil after 12 minutes.

Another near goal came in the 24th minute by Sandro Reyes from just outside the box following a corner that Stallions failed to clear. The goal was blocked though, and ended with another series of corners that again led to a near goal.

A Gallantes delivery in the 26th minute found Rontini lurking in front of goal. But again Pepito was called into action, leaping from the goal line and punching the ball away. Score remains level.

A tight contest for the ball between Gallantes and Nierras led to an ADT free kick from the edge of the Stallion box in the 30th minute. This one led to an ADT shot on goal courtesy of Diano, but was deflected for a corner, yet again.

We are past the half-hour mark and the ADT seemed to have the better share of possession in the last few minutes. They've been piling on the pressure against the pink-shirts, camping in their final third. Azkals had 72% of the possession at this point.

While the ADT had shown their dominance, McDaniel had shown that he is a thorn to the young Azkals side time and again. Finding good passes to Sy from time to time, and even taking the ball forward himself.

Stallions were gifted by the opposition, though, when Custodio made a poor back pass to the keeper Kammeraad as Silva was able to nick it back while in front of the ADT goal. He got a shot off before the keeper could reach it, but it would roll wide. 39 minutes in with the score still the same.

The teams took the level scoreline all the way to half-time.

Start of the second half

Stallions opted to change Bedia for Marzan at the start of the half.

Both teams were already eager to get the ball rolling after the break, playing into their opposition's half in quick succession. But by the 50th minute, it seems that ADT was able to settle in first.

Surprisingly, it was Stallions who had the first near goal of the half with Alquiros taking on a poorly cleared ball, taking a crack at it from outside the box. Kammeraad was at full stretch to save that ball.

It led to a corner in the 52nd minute, with Alquiros, again, making the delivery into the box. The ball found its way to a poorly marked Placito who heads the ball in from the middle of the box. Stallions taking the initiative against the run of play, 1-nil.

Gayoso almost had the chance to draw level just minutes after trailing, but his 56th minute effort was called offside. He was just half a step ahead of the Stallion defense.

The momentum still stayed with the ADT. But Stallions, who are now leading, is starting to frustrate the young players with a staunch defense.

Stallions almost doubled up in the 65th minute when Bedia, the half-time substitute, made a great run through the left wing. His cross made it to the right side with Alquiros on the receiving end. But it led to nothing with a poorly placed low cross that Diano intercepted.

It took to the 66th marker for the Azkals to draw level courtesy of a perfectly placed cross by Chung into the box. It was met by Gayoso with a header in front of the helpless Pepito. ADT draws level 1-1.

Bedia again made trouble for the ADT team when Sy found him open in front of goal in the 70th minute. His shot made it in, but was judged offside.

As we approach the final 15 minutes of regulation time, the ADT had been piling on the number of shots and key passes into the final third. But the stern Stallion defense kept them level, putting in good counters of their own.

It wasn't looking good for the ADT as on the 83rd minute, Jarvey Gayoso with space ahead fell to the ground while clutching his thigh. He had to be stretchered off in his shape.

It was here where the ADT management opted to use their substitutions with Ivan Ouano coming in for the injured captain, Gayoso, and Vincent Parpan comes in for Dimitri Limbo on the 86th minute.

The game has been back and forth with a higher tempo as both sides vie for that Copa finals spot in regulation time's final minutes. Extra time seemed to loom in.

One last attempt by the ADT in stoppage time ended with a goal kick as Sandro Reyes' through ball went past his teammate Gallantes who was offside anyway. That concluded regulation time as we move into extra time with the score 1-1.

First Half of Extra Time

Extra time starts with ADT being the aggressor. But Stallions take the opportunistic route, pouncing on mistakes by their less experienced opposition. Both teams have shifted a gear higher.

A very close call came in the 96th minute when McDaniels found himself in a 1v1 situation with ADT's Kammeraad. The keeper did enough to make himself as wide as possible, forcing the shot off target.

It only took a minute after that event that Stallions found themselves in a good spot again with Alquiros from wide. After hitting the brakes, then taking a shot on goal through the space. But this effort was also saved by Kammeraad again.

Stallion had to substitute a player in the 98th minute as Stallions look to change the run of play and tilt it in their favor. Belgira was replaced by Amisola.

The ADT almost got the game in the 99th when Reyes forced his way into the box, finding an open Ouano also in the box. The ADT substitute's shot went in, only to be called offside.

By the 101th, two substitutions were done within a space of a minute with ADT's Pete Forrosuelo coming in for Mathew Custodio, then Stallion's Bryran Ybanez came on for Warren Bedia after the latter suffered fatigue.

The action continued in the 104th minute when Ybanez nicked the ball up high, then finding his teammate Alquiros in a great position inside. But Alquiros would miss this one as Kammeraad reacted and made himself bigger again.

Final Half of Extra Time

The ADT might have found the winner in the 115th minute when Oliver Bias who made a good run from the wing, found Gallantes from the opposite end of the box lurking behind the last Stallion defender. He headed the ball squarely into the net, putting his side up. ADT leads 2-1.

A substitution on the 117th minute shows Alquiros being swapped for James Hall in the attempt to salvage the game.

But this would be the last relevant event in the game as the Azkals Development Team was able to take this game all the way to the final whistle.

The game ends Stallion Laguna 1, Azkals Development Team 2.