Cebu Football

I CAN still fondly remember the last time I played against a team from North Cotabato.  It was against Notre Dame of Cotabato in the All Cotabato eliminations of the Coke Go For Goal.  Down 2-0 against the visiting team, I avoided a yellow card after the family jewels of the keeper by clutching my knee and remembering all I learned in drama class. I also scored two goals (Yep, there was a time I was better at playing than writing about football) to send the match to overtime.  We got the win on golden goal after I got a penalty, which, as they would say now, we earned after making most out of a minimal contact.  In the finals, we also lost through a penalty in extra time.

(This is not a Fair Play entry but a "pa-senti entry.")   Today, I turn 34.  And I'm lucky to reach this age. I had a ruptured appendix in third grade and the poison had already spread I was told. That was in 1988.  In 1997, as a sophomore college student, I woke up with a massive “hangover,” in a hospital, the one induced by a smooth, fist-sized stone administered by a group of tambays.

What’s up, Gov? How are you doing these days?  I know you are busy preparing for your June 30 takeover of the provincial seat, and I hope you get that much needed rest before June 30, when you become the third person to sit as governor of Cebu in 12 days. By the way, I almost volunteered for your campaign back in 2010. I got tired waiting for The Boss one time and managed to wander into the next office that was draped in yellow and because I had nothing to do, I signed up.  The one in charge also had a rather pleasing personality.  

DURING one inconsequential practice in high school, a female batchmate caused quite a stir in the campus when--wearing the school uniform and all--she joined the team in a scrimmage. She was clumsy and all, but I remember she caused a few smiles at her audacity to join the boys' football team in practice.

ONE of the biggest matches in Philippine football will happen on May 23, in faraway Bangladesh. No, it doesn't involve the Azkals, but the Malditas, the Philippine women's national team that is seeking a berth in the Asian Football Confederation Women's Cup. Not much have been written about the team, a fact that fiery coach Ernie Nierras is using as a challenge.

CHIEFFY Caligdong showed up with his golden boot to tow Erco FC to an easy, 6-2, win over the Hijos Del Pueblo in Group B action of the 13th Cebu Interclub Football Cup men’s open division at the Cebu City Sports Center. The win puts Erco, which lost to Cebu Queen City United (CQCU), 5-0, last Monday to second spot in their group with six points, trailing CQCU on goal difference.

NOW on its 13th season, this year's Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. would be just like the first one and I hope it's time for changes to be adopted. I'm not saying we should get rid of the officials. I'm just saying it's time for some changes, and you can change, of course, without changing officials.

I ALWAYS knew that crowd behavior would be one of the factors for a successful hosting of the Asian Football Confederations (AFC) Cup. I just didn’t know how huge a factor it would be. It turns out crowd behavior at the Cebu City Sports Center has impressed not only local but AFC officials, one of whom told Graeme Mackinnon that he would show the video he took of the crowd to other officials to show how football “is more fun in Cebu.”

WHEN coach Brian Reid pointed to Ed Sacapano to start warming in the first half of Global FC's final match against Dordoi, a smattering of applause broke in the crowd, who witnessed how the bungling Mousa Sanogo, whose errors led to back-to-back goals for the Kyrgystani club. He supposedly played for the third division in France but I've seen third-choice keepers in high school who could hold on to the ball better.

A FEW weeks back, there was an informal online poll on which club has the most passionate supporters in the Philippines, and the runaway winner then was the passionate Ultras of Kaya FC. I didn't join the online discussion because I haven't really seen how passionate the groups are in the United Football League and I also agree that among all of them, the Ultras Kayas, based on what I saw on some of the TV matches, seemed to be the noisiest bunch of fans. Then I saw Global Force Cebu.

IT'S the tailend of the election season and as usual, the politicians' campaign are in high gear.  I really  don't play partisan politics, but I hope that the next mayor of Cebu  City and the governor of Cebu would be major sports fans. No, not the "here's-a-million-for-a-barangay-league-and- name-it-after-me fan," but a real sports fan, one that's concerned about development. It's not about the trophies, it never is. 

(This is my Fair Play column for Sun.Sar Cebu, May 9 issue) I SAID Cebu needs a miracle for a successful AFC President’s Cup hosting and I think we got one and aside from the guys in the Cebu Football Association and the guys who worked their asses off to get the pitch back into world-class condition, we have to thank The One above for it. Anyone who has been outside his or her home the past weeks or so knows that it’s been hot as hell in Cebu, but, for the past few days, we’ve been blessed with good and grass-friendly weather.

IT WAS the perfect opportunity to pull out a prank and I took the chance to troll Dan Palami and his Global FC team. Everyone was wearing black, the colors of Global FC, during the welcome dinner for Global FC slash  birthday party for host Ricky Dakay at his sprawling mansion. So I came wearing the yellow Una Kaya shirt of their fierce rival Kaya FC. Boy, talk about eyes in your back.

THE Cebu Football Association may move heaven and earth for a successfull Asian Football Confederation hosting but whatever they do, won't determine whether the hosting is a success or not. Who would determine its success? The fans in the stands. "I think that would be the barometer by which the AFC will judge us," CFA president Ricky Dakay said during the official launching of the event.