Cebu Football

(This is my column for Dec. 1, so don't be confused with references regarding 'last night' etc.---ML) TWO years ago, after getting sick of the football politics, I stopped writing about the sport and focused on others. But on Dec. 5, 2010, I wrote what turned out to be the first of many after the Philippines' amazing draw with Singapore in the 2010 Suzuki Cup (Don't cross the street when the Azkals play).

THE  win against Vietnam got us closer to the semifinal round but getting closer is a whole lot different than being in the semifinal round. In Group A, only Thailand is assured of a semis spot, while Vietnam, Myanmar and the Philippines are still fighting for the second spot and Myanmar may have an axe to grind against us.

I DON'T know. Maybe. Perhaps. Siguro. That was my standard reply whenever I got asked whether the Philippines would do well in the Suzuki Cup 2012. It's not that I don't have faith in the team, it's just that this is the Suzuki Cup and things like history don't count.  

MINUTES after Ryan Aznar’s name was called as the winner of the iPhone 5s during the 30th Sun.Star Cebu anniversary party with friends, sources and advertisers last Saturday night, I approached the Southwestern University athletic director and teased him that at least, his new gadget would ease the headache he’s having right now. The headache, of course, involves coach Yayoy Alcoseba, who was seen on national TV hitting a player in the head, twice.

MID-WAY through the 30th annivesary party of Sun.Star Cebu, I and a few other football fans went to the Port Seafood restaurant  to catch the Philippines vs. Thailand game over AKTV. But I missed one of the moments in the match, when, after Paul Mulders made it 2-1 after a lovely field from Patrick Reichelt,  I decided to take a piss.  When I returned, I was told that Coach Michael Weiss got red-carded for throwing the ball at a player. Eh?

TOMORROW marks the 30th anniversary of Sun.Star Cebu, a paper who has been very active in the sports scene since it started. Orlando Sanchez, the first editor of this section, set the bar high. Too high that up to now, I still hear stories of the things he has done from people in sports who, until now, are still involved. There's even a trophy named after him--the Orlacsan Award--given to selfless individuals whose support for sports is unparalleled in the annual SMB-Sportswriters Association of Cebu Sports Awards.

IT'S been often repeated that whether Coach Michael Weiss will get an extension on his  contract due to end in January, will depend on the results of the Suzuki Cup, 2012. A few months ago, even as late as January, that move made sense.

All pictures are from Dr. Joel Pascual (Click more, to see the rest)

More photos from Dr. Joel Pascual (More photos after the break) 

THE Springdale Titans ended their title drought this year in style, bagging two titles in the First Sun.Star Football Cup at the Cebu City Sports Center. Sabin Veloso powered the Boys 14 team over Don Bosco, 2-0, in the finals late Sunday night, while Niko Villacin’s intimidating defensive presence helped Springdale win the Boys 17 shootout via sudden-death over the Mandaue Technical Institute, 5-4. It was both teams’ first titles for this year.

All photos are courtesy of Dr. Joel Pascual, better known as Paolo's dad.

This is the second part of Dr. Joel Pascual's photos of Face-off.

(UPDATE: Here's a point that was raised that throws the whole article out of the window. It seems I got a few things wrong.  Global, indeed can't field a complete team for the finals.  24-man squad, minus 9 or 10 for national duties, leaves them with only 14, three of whom are keepers.  One is suspended, so no subs.) If, as I suggested, Global leaves the Azkals in the bench, They'd be far from from ideal strength against a full-strength Stallion. Well, what to do when you get it wrong?  You say it as it is.  And since this has been posted online, I'll leave it here . ----ML) DAN Palami  of Global FC, Nonong Araneta (and I'm not sure of his role) of Stallion FC are also the top two officers of the Philippine Football Federation. And these guys’ involvement in UFL is good for the Philippine men's national team, because whenever there's a club and country conflict, they'd pick country. Whether it’s good for the UFL, is another question.

THE University of San Carlos bagged its second ladies title, overwhelming a young Cebu International School team, 4-0, in the finals of the Girls 17 division of the First Sun.Star Football Cup at the Cebu City Sports Center yesterday. USC, which advanced to the finals thanks to Stephanie Leaño’s penalty in a sudden-death shootout with St. Theresa’s College, was simply too organized and skilled against CIS.

(This is my story of the opening day of the Sun.Star Football Cup) MEMBERS of the University of San Carlos (USC) ladies’ team got a rare football experience on the first day of the Sun.Star Football Cup at the Cebu City Sports Center. USC’s Team A beat sister team B, 2-1, in the finals of the Girls 19 and both teams got to play with some members of the national team in an exhibition match.

CRAIG Burrows, a tireless Englishman with a Filipino heart who has spent most of his life here in the Philippines, helping under-privileged children, was in Cebu for the Nov. 15 Singapore vs. Philippines friendly, together with  his photographer Mark Ypon.

All photos by Dr. Joel Pascual. Please acknowledge if you grab or share, thanks.

RICO, Raffy, Rodney, Glen, Nimrod, Michael. Fr. Heinz and Joey, Memorize these names because these guys have practically spent the past few months married to their non-paying jobs with the Cebu Football Association. Add to that list, too, Francis and Dino, who, I've been told have spent the last few weeks at the Cebu City Sports Center, checking on their baby regularly.

THANKS to the diligence of the screening committee, a coach was caught fielding ineligible players in the baseball competition of the Cebu City Olympics. The team was disqualified, while the coach?  Well, he's going to have to wait for a fact-finding committee's recommendations to learn what his fate would be.

PAOLO Pascual has made the lineup for the Philippine team that will see action against Singapore in the Nov. 15 friendly at the Cebu City Sports Center. The lineup was released by the Cebu Football Association, the host of the event and listed Pascual as one of the two keepers.  Ed Sacapano of the Philippine Army is expected to start in the game, while the other regular sub keeper, Ref Cuaresma of the Loyola Meralco Sparks wasn't listed.

IT started with a dream, and now the sand court at Fort San Pedro is nearly finished. More than just the physical set-up, what the sand court can do--and symbolizes--means the Cebu beach volleyball scene, or even that of the country's, will change.

IT seems, there's a brewing friction among some of the football fans--Kaholeros and Ultras--as to which group is better. And I always find that funny . Every time I hear someone brag how one group, especially those who claim to be hardcore, is the better one because of  this and that, I always smirk and think, "Where the hell were you when the men's team, and Philippine football, needed saving from the PFF?"

GLOBAL FC just beat Kaya FC, 2-1, thanks to some wonderful play by Misagh Bahadoran early in extra time. But, if not for some poor finishing, Global could won by two or three goals.  

THE Aboitiz Football Cup, the premier football tournament in Cebu City, has lost its luster the past few years, and the Cebu Football Association (CFA) is trying to revive it back to its former status. There's really no one major reason why the Aboitiz Cup has become what it is, and the slide could be blame to a number of factors--the factionalism that hit Cebu football, the change of venue and the snub by local media among others.

CEBU Football Association president Ricky Dakay said the other week that if they are successful in hosting the Nov. 15 match, they would like to host another friendly. And that's something the Philippine Football Federation and Dan Palami are willing to give. But "successful" is relative here.  The CFA can do everything right, they can roll out the red carpet and more, they can  even replace the grass with the most expensive artificial turf but that won't be how the game would be judged as successful.