Colina in Thailand pre SEAG.
CEBUANO footballer Oliver Colina and two other former Cebu-based players are a step closer to their dream of making it to Philippine team for a Southeast Asian Games (Seag).
The 23-year-old Colina was tapped b y national coach Aries Caslib for the RP team to a pre-Seag tournament in Bangkok, Thailand, which started yesterday until Sept 10. Colina's name appeared in the line-up for the Bangkok tournament released yesterday.
"This is a dream come true for me, I've been waiting for this. This came as a surprise," Colina told Sun.Star Cebu after he received the call a few days before he turned 23 last May 7.
Colina played for the University of San Jose-Recoletos and was a regular in the Exas Football Club.
"He's a good midfielder who can make a dangerous forward pass and he can also take that long shot," Caslib said of Colina.
Former Cebu-based players Johneil Bapor and Arnie Pasinabo are also in the national team.
Bapor replaced another Cebu player, Michael Casas, as goalkeeper, while Pasinabo, Casas' ex-teammate at Carmen National School, finally gets a chance to shine for the senior team.
Last summer, Caslib dropped by Bacolod to talk to Pasinabo's coach and parents, wooing the player to join the national training pool. Caslib handled Casas, Pasinabo and four other Carmen boys in the Under-17 team a few years ago.
In Thailand, the Philippines is in Group A along with former Southeast Asian powerhouse Myanmar, Malaysia and newcomer Timor Leste. Host Thailand is in Group B with Singapore, Laos and Cambodia, while Vietnam, Brunei and Indonesia withdrew a few days before the start of the event.
The Philippines was playing Myanmar at press time and will next face Malaysia tomorrow and Timor Leste on Saturday.
In the Tiger Cup, Myanmar scored a last-minute goal for a 1-0 win over RP, which also lost to Malaysia, 3-1. The Philippines clinched its first win in the tournament with a 2-1 escape over Timor Leste.
After Bangkok, the training pool will head for China for a month-long training before the Seag.
Others who made it to the team are Ian Araneta, Emilio Caligdong, Jesan Candolesa, Arnold Cariño, Roy Clores, Philip Greatwich, Bervic Italia, Peter Jaugan, Jeffrey Liman, Jay-Archie Marcaida, Ruffy Narvaez, Jose Ombos, Michael Fuertes, Dexter Versario, Donald Somoza and Gerald and Jerome Orcullo.
The 23-year-old Colina was tapped b y national coach Aries Caslib for the RP team to a pre-Seag tournament in Bangkok, Thailand, which started yesterday until Sept 10. Colina's name appeared in the line-up for the Bangkok tournament released yesterday.
"This is a dream come true for me, I've been waiting for this. This came as a surprise," Colina told Sun.Star Cebu after he received the call a few days before he turned 23 last May 7.
Colina played for the University of San Jose-Recoletos and was a regular in the Exas Football Club.
"He's a good midfielder who can make a dangerous forward pass and he can also take that long shot," Caslib said of Colina.
Former Cebu-based players Johneil Bapor and Arnie Pasinabo are also in the national team.
Bapor replaced another Cebu player, Michael Casas, as goalkeeper, while Pasinabo, Casas' ex-teammate at Carmen National School, finally gets a chance to shine for the senior team.
Last summer, Caslib dropped by Bacolod to talk to Pasinabo's coach and parents, wooing the player to join the national training pool. Caslib handled Casas, Pasinabo and four other Carmen boys in the Under-17 team a few years ago.
In Thailand, the Philippines is in Group A along with former Southeast Asian powerhouse Myanmar, Malaysia and newcomer Timor Leste. Host Thailand is in Group B with Singapore, Laos and Cambodia, while Vietnam, Brunei and Indonesia withdrew a few days before the start of the event.
The Philippines was playing Myanmar at press time and will next face Malaysia tomorrow and Timor Leste on Saturday.
In the Tiger Cup, Myanmar scored a last-minute goal for a 1-0 win over RP, which also lost to Malaysia, 3-1. The Philippines clinched its first win in the tournament with a 2-1 escape over Timor Leste.
After Bangkok, the training pool will head for China for a month-long training before the Seag.
Others who made it to the team are Ian Araneta, Emilio Caligdong, Jesan Candolesa, Arnold Cariño, Roy Clores, Philip Greatwich, Bervic Italia, Peter Jaugan, Jeffrey Liman, Jay-Archie Marcaida, Ruffy Narvaez, Jose Ombos, Michael Fuertes, Dexter Versario, Donald Somoza and Gerald and Jerome Orcullo.
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