Real Molinillo in Draw with Mentors to Guarantee Top Seeding in Division I

Nicolo Carl Pena (right) and Ram del Mundo protecting the Real Molinillo from Mentors' attackers. Phioto:  Karlyn Vivas.

Lipa City, December 24 – Real Molinillo, missing starting defenders Nestor Natanauan Jr. and Kevin Macasaet, squandered a 3-1 lead to eventually draw 3-3 with Mentors FC in an evenly contested Division I Season 3 Round 4 match last Sunday at the Aboitiz Pitch of The Outlets at Lipa.

Mentors enjoyed most of the early possession and deserved to go 1-nil up early on through Kenneth Aquino. Real Molinillo fought back with some incisive counterattacking football, and equalized after Eldrich de Villa from the left flank delivered a pin-point cross to Jeremias Jiao, who scored with a simple volley.

Further goals by Jiao and Joseph Victor Medina and it looked like Molinillo were cruising to a perfect record in the group stages. However, John Christian Caparas and Jared Manangquil scored for the Mentors in the last ten minutes to ensure a frantic finish.

Molinillo somehow managed to regain its defensive poise and, despite the draw, assured itself of top seeding in Division I leading to the semi-finals.

The tackling was not for the faint of heart in the "Green Battle" between La Salle FC and Green Stallions. Photo:  Karlyn Vivas.

In the earlier Division I encounter, defending champions La Salle FC notched their second straight win after defeating Green Stallions FC in the “Green Battle.” Despite coming from the same institution, there was little love lost between the two sides in a match marked by full-blooded challenges.

In the end, the younger and quicker La Salle FC emerged 3-nil victors, the first goal scored by Ryan Paul Mangulad off an elementary error at central defense. Richard Singson added a brace to complete the scoring for La Salle.

Goalmouth action in the Division II match between Lipa Emmanuel and Reigning Kickers. Photo:  Karlyn Vivas.

In Division II, with Legends FC firmly having perched themselves atop the table, the battle for second place in the division heated up with a fiercely contest match between two former finalists, FC Reigning Kickers and Lipa Emmanuel FC.

The younger Lipa Emmanuel took a 2-nil lead through Jorge Kasilag’s brace, but Season I champions FC Reigning Kickers fought back to draw level with goals by Russel Clark Velasco and goalscoring hotshot Jhon Lester Torres.

The draw ensures that Lipa Emmanuel occupy second spot after Round 4, but the youngsters have completed their group stage program and will now wait for the result of the Round 5 encounter between FC Reigning Kickers and Coffee Millers to see if they hold onto the position.

Meanwhile, in a bizarre twist, the Coffee Millers scored their first win of the season via a walkover after Kings FC informed league organizers that their players would be unavailable to play their scheduled fixture only the day before.

The Millers, therefore, can still finish as high as third in the group but will have to score a bagful of goals over the former champions to do so.

Season 3 of the Lipa Football League is co-presented by ACF Real Molinillo de Lipa and The Outlets at Lipa. Matches are played every last Sunday of the month at the Aboitiz Pitch of The Outlets at Lipa.