Pascual is No. 1 for RP U19 team
ANOTHER Cebuano made it to the RP youth football team, making him the third to see action for the country this year.
Goalkeeper Paolo Pascual of the University of San Carlos (USC) made the cut and will join the Philippine team in the Asian Football Championships 19-Under Group G eliminations in China.
Despite joining the training camp late, Pascual, who was recommended to the squad by his teammates during his stint in the Palarong Pambansa in high school, will be the starting keeper of the team.
The Philippines will play host China in their first game on Nov. 1, and will next take on Myanmar (Nov. 3), North Korea (Nov. 6), Guam (Nov. 8), and Malaysia (Nov. 11).
They left for China early yesterday and will return on Nov. 12.
The top two teams in Group G will join the other top qualifiers for the AFC U19 Championships next year.
The RP team, led by head coach Lloyd James Lim and goalkeeper coach Noel Marcaida, started training just last Oct. 1 in Manila but Pascual joined them only last Oct. 11 since USC was still playing in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc.
Pascual is the third Cebuano to make the RP youth team this year.
Others who made the cut were Carmelo Genco for the Under 14 in the AFF Youth Championships in Singapore and Christian Noel in the AFC U16 Championships in Bacolod. Don Bosco College elementary football team coach Glenn Ramos also mentored the RP U16 team.
Meanwhile, Pascual’s former coach in Paref-Springdale, Mario Ceniza, who also coached him during their silver-medal finish in the Palarong Pambansa in 2007 was elated with his selection to the RP team.
Ceniza, whose former players Arnie Pasinabo and Michael Casas also started for the U23 and senior teams, said Pascual deserved to be in the team and his stint in the RP squad is long overdue.
Ceniza said Pascual could have made the Under 16 team if only the PFF had a team at that time.
“Alanganin man na iyang batch,” said Ceniza. “There were teams for the 1989 and 1991 batches, but not for 1991 (which Pascual belongs.)
Ceniza said Pascual reminds him of Casas, his former player in Carmen who became the youngest to start for the men’s senior team.
Casas is also a keeper.
“He’s very religious in his training and he follows whatever you tell him to do. He has no reservations,” said Ceniza. “I’m very happy for him because he has always dreamed to be part of the national team.”
Goalkeeper Paolo Pascual of the University of San Carlos (USC) made the cut and will join the Philippine team in the Asian Football Championships 19-Under Group G eliminations in China.
Despite joining the training camp late, Pascual, who was recommended to the squad by his teammates during his stint in the Palarong Pambansa in high school, will be the starting keeper of the team.
The Philippines will play host China in their first game on Nov. 1, and will next take on Myanmar (Nov. 3), North Korea (Nov. 6), Guam (Nov. 8), and Malaysia (Nov. 11).
They left for China early yesterday and will return on Nov. 12.
The top two teams in Group G will join the other top qualifiers for the AFC U19 Championships next year.
The RP team, led by head coach Lloyd James Lim and goalkeeper coach Noel Marcaida, started training just last Oct. 1 in Manila but Pascual joined them only last Oct. 11 since USC was still playing in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc.
Pascual is the third Cebuano to make the RP youth team this year.
Others who made the cut were Carmelo Genco for the Under 14 in the AFF Youth Championships in Singapore and Christian Noel in the AFC U16 Championships in Bacolod. Don Bosco College elementary football team coach Glenn Ramos also mentored the RP U16 team.
Meanwhile, Pascual’s former coach in Paref-Springdale, Mario Ceniza, who also coached him during their silver-medal finish in the Palarong Pambansa in 2007 was elated with his selection to the RP team.
Ceniza, whose former players Arnie Pasinabo and Michael Casas also started for the U23 and senior teams, said Pascual deserved to be in the team and his stint in the RP squad is long overdue.
Ceniza said Pascual could have made the Under 16 team if only the PFF had a team at that time.
“Alanganin man na iyang batch,” said Ceniza. “There were teams for the 1989 and 1991 batches, but not for 1991 (which Pascual belongs.)
Ceniza said Pascual reminds him of Casas, his former player in Carmen who became the youngest to start for the men’s senior team.
Casas is also a keeper.
“He’s very religious in his training and he follows whatever you tell him to do. He has no reservations,” said Ceniza. “I’m very happy for him because he has always dreamed to be part of the national team.”
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