The 2017 Philippines Football League was the inaugural season of the Philippines Football League (PFL), the professional football league of the Philippines. The league was officially launched on April 21, 2017, at Shangri-La at the Fort in Taguig, while the first match of the season was played on May 6. The PFL replaced the Metro Manila-based United Football League (UFL), which served as the country's de facto top-level football league from 2009 to 2016. The league was made up of 8 clubs: 6 from the UFL (Ceres, Global, JP Voltes, Kaya, Loyola Meralco Sparks, and Stallion) and 2 expansion teams (Davao Aguilas and Ilocos United). Each club played the others four times (a home-and-away quadruple round-robin format), twice at their home ground and twice at that of their opponents', for 28 games. The teams that finished the season in the top four entered a playoff tournament to determine the league's champion.
The 2017 season was the only PFL season to feature a playoff finals for the league champion. The top four teams of the league's regular season, which concluded on November 28, progressed to the playoff finals, dubbed as the Finals Series. The Finals Series was held between December 2 and 16 and consisted of a two-legged semifinals, a third-place playoff, and the final match. The final took place on December 16 at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod, between Ceres–Negros and Global Cebu. Ceres–Negros won the match 4–1 and became the first club to win the PFL title.
Teams On November 24, 2016, it was reported that at least five teams will join the inaugural season of the PFL. Bacolod-based Ceres–Negros F.C. reportedly will move to Davao City, and a new club will be formed to represent Bacolod or the Negros Island Region. However at the time of the report, nothing has been confirmed by the club or the Philippine Football Federation (PFF). Ceres later denied reports of stating that they will field a second team supposedly to be based in Davao City.
Ceres, Global, Loyola, Stallion, as well as Kaya were confirmed by the PFF on November 29, 2016, as official clubs for the inaugural 2017 season and is projecting that three other clubs will join. By December 2016, JP Voltes joined the list of confirmed 2017 PFL clubs.
It was reported that a total of ten clubs expressed interest to join the league, eight of which have submitted documents required by the PFF according to PFF General Secretary Ed Gastanes. Green Archers United and a club owned by seaport management firm International Container Terminal Services, were the two clubs which withdrew their bid to participate in the league. By April 1, 2017, the PFF has confirmed the participation of 8 clubs.
Stadiums and locations The PFF confirmed the following clubs with their localities and stadiums that will comprise the inaugural season of the PFL.
Team Location Stadium Capacity Ceres–Negros Bacolod Panaad Stadium 8,000 Davao Aguilas Tagum, Davao del Norte Davao del Norte Sports Complex 3,000 Global Cebu Cebu City Cebu City Sports Complex 8,000 Ilocos United Bantay, Ilocos Sur Quirino Stadium 5,000 JPV Marikina Marikina, Metro Manila Marikina Sports Complex 15,000 Kaya–Makati Makati, Metro Manila University of Makati Stadium 4,000 Meralco Manila Manila Rizal Memorial Stadium 12,873 Stallion Laguna Biñan, Laguna Biñan Football Stadium 2,580
Home venues of PFL clubs
Personnel and kits Team Head coachCaptain Kit manufacturerSponsors Ceres–Negros Risto Vidaković Martin Steuble Puma Ceres Liner Davao Aguilas Marlon Maro Phil Younghusband LGR San Miguel Corporation Global Cebu Akbar Nawas Misagh Bahadoran LGR Cebu Tourism Board Ilocos United Ian Gillan Adam Mitter Puma Metro Global, Pool World Philippines, Pyramid JPV Marikina Dan Padernal Takashi Odawara LGR JK Mart, BranchForth, Santouka Ramen Kaya–Makati Noel Marcaida Masanari Omura LGR LBC, Yellow Cab Pizza Meralco Manila Aris Caslib Simon Greatwich Mizuno Meralco Stallion Laguna Ernest Nierras Ruben Doctora Nixáre Giligan's Restaurant, Belmont Hotel
Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointmentGlobal Cebu John Burridge Sacked October 2016Pre-season Kenichi YatsuhashiDecember 2016Meralco Manila Simon McmenemyEnd of contractDecember 2016 Aris CaslibGlobal Cebu Kenichi Yatsuhashi Toshiaki Imai January 2017Kaya–Makati Chris Greatwich Promoted to Team ManagerJanuary 2017 Noel MarcaidaJPV Marikina Yu HoshideFebruary 2017 Dan Padernal April 2017 Global Cebu Toshiaki Imai Resigned May 2017 2nd Marjo Allado (interim) May 2017 Marjo Allado End of interim tenure June 2017 3rd Akbar Nawas June 2017Davao Aguilas Gary Phillips SackedSeptember 2017 7th Marlon MaroSeptember 2017
Foreign players A maximum of four foreigners are allowed per club which follows the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) '3+1 rule'; three players of any nationality and a fourth coming from an AFC member nation.
Players name in bold indicates the player was registered during the mid-season transfer window. Club Players Former Players Ceres–Negros Kota Kawase Bienvenido Marañón Fernando Rodríguez Súper Antonio Bello Davao Aguilas Miloš Krstić Harry Sawyer Marko Trkulja Nikola Grubješić Bojan Mališić Global Cebu Yu Hoshide Darryl Roberts Rufo Sánchez Wesley Shu Sasaki Sekou Sylla Ilocos United Arthur Kouassi Adam Mitter Andrew Pawiak Baba Sampana William Ebanda Valentine Kama JPV Marikina Takashi Odawara Atsushi Shimono Takumi Uesato Masaki Yanagawa Kaya–Makati Robert Lopez Mendy Jordan Mintah Masanari Omura Alfred Osei Meralco Manila Joaco Cañas Lee Jeong-min Tahj Minniecon Milan Nikolić Stallion Laguna Kim Myungsu Ko Kyung-Joon Gabriele Mascazzini Carlo Polli Christian Nana Ryota Ishikawa Roland Sadia Yusuke Yamagata
Former players only include players who left after the start of the 2017 season. Also a holder of AFC nationality (Australia) Global FC also registered other foreigners for the international competitions.
AFC Champions League : Ahamad Azzawi (Iraq), Serge Kaole (Ivory Coast) AFC Cup : Kemy Agustien (Curaçao), Darryl Roberts (Trinidad and Tobago) RHB Singapore Cup : Serge Kaole (Ivory Coast), Darryl Roberts (Trinidad and Tobago)
During the mid-season transfer window, Darryl Roberts was added in the PFL team, replacing Sekou Sylla.
Foreign players by confederation AFC (7), (3), (3) CAF (3), (1), (1) CONCACAF (1) CONMEBOL (1) OFC (1) UEFA (5), (3), (2), (1)
Brad McDonald has both Australia and Papua New Guinea FIFA nationality.
Regular season table
Positions by round
Results by round Team \ Round1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 SF1 SF2 BF3 FinalCeres–NegrosDWLWWWLWWWWLWDWWWDWLWWWDDWDLWW—WDavao AguilasDLLLDDDLLDLLDLLDLDWWLDLLWLWD————Global CebuWDWLWLWDWWDDWWLDLDWDLWLWWDLWWD—LIlocos UnitedDLLLLLDLLDLLLLDLLLLWLLLLLDDL————JPV MarikinaLWLWWWWWLLLLDWDDLWLLLDLLDWLD————Kaya–MakatiDWLWWLLDWWWWWDLLDDWLWWWLWWLLLLL—Meralco ManilaWWWWWDDWWLDWLWWWWDDWLDWWWLWDLDW—Stallion LagunaLDLLDDLLLLDWWWDLWWWWLDDLWDLW———— Source: Philippines Football League
Results The eight clubs will play each other four times for twenty eight matches each during the regular season.
First round
Second round
Match abandoned at halftime due to deteriorating pitch condition by way of adverse weather. As per PFL rules, final score for matches abandoned at halftime and the second half would be the score of the game just prior to abandonment. Match deemed a forfeiture due to home stadium unavailability. Kaya awarded a 0–3 win Match deemed a forfeiture due to ambulances supposed to be on the venue got involved in an accident. Davao awarded a 0–3 win. Forfeiture affirmed on Nov. 22 Match deemed a forfeiture due to Ilocos' non-compliance with the league's franchise agreement. Meralco awarded a 0-3 win. Match abandoned in the 78rd minute due to "poor visibility". Game ended in 2–2 draw.
Finals Series
The top four teams from the Regular Season qualified and are seeded for the Finals Series' Semifinals. The 1st and 4th ranked clubs of the Regular Season are seeded in the first semifinals while the 2nd and 3rd ranked club were seeded in the second semifinals. The winners of the two-legged semifinals contested for the league title in the final while the losers played in a third place playoff.
Bracket
Semi-finals All times are in Philippine Standard Time (UTC+8)
Meralco Manila vs Global Cebu (1st vs 4th)
Global Cebu won 3–2 on aggregate.
Ceres–Negros vs Kaya–Makati (2nd vs 3rd)
Ceres–Negros won 3–1 on aggregate.
Third place
Final
Season team rankings As per statistical convention in football, matches decided in extra time are counted as wins and losses, while matches decided by penalty shoot-outs are counted as draws.
Season statistics Scoring Top goalscorers Rank Player Team Goals1 Bienvenido Marañón Ceres–Negros222 Fernando Rodríguez Ceres–Negros213 Jordan Mintah Kaya–Makati184 Takumi Uesato JPV Marikina165 Jesus Melliza Stallion Laguna136 Takashi Odawara JPV Marikina10 Iain Ramsay Ceres–Negros Harry Sawyer Davao Aguilas Phil Younghusband Davao AguilasMeralco Manila10 Robert Lopez Mendy Kaya–Makati9 Rufo Sanchez Global Cebu James Younghusband Davao AguilasMeralco Manila
Top assists Rank Player Team Goals1 Iain Ramsay Ceres–Negros122 Stephan Schröck Ceres–Negros113 Bienvenido Marañón Ceres–Negros10 Jordan Mintah Kaya–Makati Miguel Tanton Kaya–Makati6 Tahj Minniecon Meralco Manila9 OJ Porteria Ceres–Negros8 Hikaru Minegishi Global Cebu8 Phil Younghusband Davao AguilasMeralco Manila10 Kouichi Belgira JPV Marikina7 Matthew Hartmann Davao AguilasGlobal Cebu Robert Lopez Mendy Kaya–Makati
Hat-tricks
PlayerClubResultAgainst Date Takumi UesatoJPV Marikina 4–0 (A)Stallion LagunaMay 31, 2017 Bienvenido MarañónCeres–Negros3–1 (H)Kaya–MakatiJune 24, 2017 Fernando Rodríguez5–1 (H)Stallion LagunaJune 28, 2017 Iain Ramsay7–0 (A)Meralco ManilaJuly 15, 2017 Jordan MintahKaya–Makati5–2 (H)Ilocos UnitedJuly 19, 2017 Takumi Uesato4JPV Marikina5–2 (H)Global CebuAugust 13, 2017 Jesus Melliza4Stallion Laguna5–0 (H)Ilocos UnitedSeptember 10, 2017 Harry SawyerDavao Aguilas4–2 (A)October 18, 2017 Rufo SánchezGlobal Cebu4–3 (H)Stallion LagunaNovember 2, 2017 Fernando RodríguezCeres–Negros 5–1 (H)Davao Aguilas Fernando Rodríguez 6–0 (H)Meralco ManilaNovember 5, 2017 Takumi UesatoJPV Marikina 6–3 (H)Davao AguilasNovember 21, 2017 Iain RamsayCeres–Negros4–1 (H)Global CebuDecember 16, 2017
Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away
4 Player scored four goals
Clean sheets
Rank Goalkeeper Team Clean sheets1 Roland Müller Ceres–Negros92 Florencio Badelic Jr. Meralco Manila7 Benito Rosalia Stallion Laguna4 Ref Cuaresma Kaya–Makati6 Patrick Deyto Global Cebu6 Marko Trkulja Davao Aguilas4 Nathanael Villanueva Meralco Manila8 Nelson Gasic JPV Marikina39 Zach Banzon Kaya–Makati2 Louie Casas Ceres-Negros
Discipline
Red cards
Rank Player Team Red cards1 Jason Cordova Davao Aguilas2 Miguel Tanton Kaya–Makati3 Adam Reed Kaya–Makati1 Jalsor Soriano Kaya–Makati Nicholas Ferrer Stallion Laguna Jordan Mintah Kaya–Makati Sekou Sylla Global Cebu Roland Müller Ceres–Negros Daniel Gadia Meralco Manila Takumi Uesato JPV Marikina Ali Mahmoud JPV Marikina Paul Mulders Global Cebu Peter Fadrigalan JPV Marikina Milan Nikolić Meralco Manila Robert Cañedo JPV Marikina John Celiz JPV Marikina OJ Porteria Ceres–Negros John Kanayama Ilocos United David Fornea Meralco Manila
Additionally, players may be suspended for more than a single match due to violations of the PFF Disciplinary Code. The Disciplinary Committee on November 7, 2017, imposed match suspensions and fines to players due to misconduct towards officials and/or other players.
References Notes
References
External links Official Website