Azkals grace opening of Sun.Star Cup

(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.



Juani Guirado and Marvin Angeles teamed up with USC players to face the other team of Jeffrey Christaens and Paolo Pascual, himself a USC alumnus.

Aside from the USC ladies, the Grades 1 and 2 students of Don Bosco Technological Center also got to play a game with Denis Wolf, Matt Uy and Patrick Reichelt, a player from Argao who gamely interacted with the kids despite an injury.

“At least naka kita ang mga players ug high level na skills,” said DBC coach Ray Calo. “I am also surprised with the Azkals’ humilty and approachable kaayo sila.”

The Azkals, which beat Singapore, 1-0, in their Nov. 15 Fifa friendly also at the CCSC, lent their star power to the Sun.Star Cup, the first festival to be played at the refurbished pitch of the CCSC. To help preserve the pitch, the tournament used water-based paints to mark the four pitches, and not anapog.

Meanwhile, Oliver Colina’s Guiseppe bagged the first title of the tournament, thanks to the quickness of Joshua Shields.

Facing a gritty Don Bosco team, Shields, who was named the MVP, pounced on the mistake of the keeper early in the second half for the lone goal of the game.

It was the second straight title for Guiseppe, which also won the division in the San Roque Cup over Don Bosco. The team had a perfect record in the eliminations thanks to keeper Jack Zambrano, and beat Candmuan, 2-1, in the quarterfinals with Shields scoring both. They also beat Subangdako, 2-1, in the semis with Shields and Joaquin Suarez scoring once.

Aside from earning the MVP title, Shields got a P1,000 savings account courtesy of Sun Savings Bank.

Guissepe was set to shoot for its second title late last night against Don Bosco in the Players 6 division. Don Bosco A, which had 12 points in the group stage, beat Don Bosco B in the semis, 2-1, while Guiseppe FC was declared the winner in the semis against Barili FC after organizers found out Barili fielded an ineligible player.

In the Players 8 division, BMALV was set to face Canduman in the semifinals, while Lahug was set to take on Guissepe.

In the Girls 19 division, which attracted five teams, Gale Colina powered USC A to the title, scoring both goals in their 2-1 win to earn the MVP.

Friendly

USC A and USC B finished tied with a 3-1 record, with USC A beating, Reunited FC (4-0), SRFC (4-1), and Ateneo de Cebu (2-0). USC B beat SRFC (2-0), Ateneo de Cebu (2-0) and Reunited FC, (1-0).

Aside from Colina, the other members of the team are Sandy Miyagi, Angeli Ruete, Renee Songalia, Dianara Alenton, Christine Gonzales, Sam Su, and Louis Sisio.

Yesterday’s Boys 19 division was set to start at press time.

In the other side event yesterday, the coaching staff of the Philippine men’s team survived the Cebu Football Association team, 3-2, with manager Dan Palami scoring twice and Edcel Bracamonte getting the game winner. After taking a 2-0 lead, the CFA team caught up with the coaching staff on JR Dakay’s and Jan Salvacion’s goals before the coaching staff finally got the go-ahead goal.

Meanwhile, the Sun.Star Football Cup will continue today, still at the CCSC Field with games in the Players 10, Boys 14, Boys 17 and Girls 17 divisions.

The major sponsors of the Sun.Star Cebu Football Cup are Mizuno, Radisson Blu and Thirsty Shakes and Juices.