Bacolod's Fil-Am striker Joshua Beloya scored his 13th goal of the tournament to open up an early 3-nil lead over Davao. The three-goal margin was a sufficient cushion as Davao mounted a furious comeback in the second half. Bacolod won 3-2 to join Iloilo in the finals of the PFF Suzuki U-23 National Cup.
Bacolod joins Iloilo in Suzuki Cup finals
game recap and photo by rick olivares
JARO, ILOILO CITY -- They were the favorites before the tournament began. One month and 27 teams later, Bacolod and Iloilo are the last two teams standing in the PFF Suzuki Under-23 National Cup. Although barely.
Bacolod was on its way on fashioning a rout against Davao when they led 3-nil after 45 minutes of play at the Central Philippine University football field yesterday. On display was a clinic in pinpoint passing and devastating finishes.
But Davao, resolving their midfield woes, pressed their attack and pulled two back in a thrilling second half that saw them nearly draw level. But time ran out on the spirited rally as Bacolod won 3-2 to join Iloilo in the first national football finals in four years.
In the 27th minute, with Bacolod on a counter attack, striker Joshua Beloya fired a heat seeker straight at Davao keeper RS Mantos from 25 yards out. The ball ricocheted off Mantos and spiraled at the edge of the box. Beloya collected the ball, scooted around Mantos who dived at the ball, and fired into the empty net for the first goal of the match.
In the 39th minute, midfielder Ralph Layumas, who had just come in for Michael Pacite, blasted one from just inside the box that hit Davao defender Mark Anthony Fernandez and was redirected past Mantos for the second score.
And in the 40th minute, Bacolod playmaker Aldrin Dolino was the recipient of a nifty cross that he volleyed home for his side’s third score.
At the half, Davao coach Ramoncito Carreon urged his side to not give up against a powerful Bacolod side. His side responded splendidly as they dominated Bacolod and gave them a taste of their version of the killer cross.
Aldinn Tiboron pulled back the first goal in the 66th minute when his long-range shot hit the crossbar and bounced in to get on the board. In the 74th minute with time running out on Davao’s comeback, Joey Arobo received a through ball to beat the defense and score one-on-one against John Robert Mendoza who conceded only his fifth goal of the tournament.
Davao had one last opportunity to send the game into extra time but their final offensive thrust but Clifford Dacera was dispossessed of the ball.
Last Sunday, Iloilo despite being thoroughly outplayed by NCR Team B, pounced on two mistakes by the Manilans to become the first team to advance to the Under-23 Finals.
The finals will be a home-and-away format between Iloilo and Bacolod. The first game will be played at CPU on May 19 at 2:30pm while the second match will be played at Panaad on May 22 at 6pm.
The finals match-up is sure to be fiery one as both cities have had a long-standing rivalry that dates back to “forever” as Iloilo head coach Marjo Allado called it.
“Palagi yan kahit anong age group Bacolod-Iloilo ang naglalaban,” added assistant coach Jessie Sazon.
Bacolod head coach Norman Fegidero Jr, who is no stranger to the rivalry, agreed. “Basta football walang magpapatalo. Bacolod pride. Iloilo pride. Bragging rights yan. But it’s going to be an exciting finals.”
advantage for nofa on game 1..iloilo will missed the services of gustilo and leonora dagdag mu pa si felongco..a sure win by NOFA..
ReplyDeleteGo Iloilo!
ReplyDeletesure win pa gid ya...ano na may dos nga diamond...
ReplyDeleteRematch ! ! ! ! ! In only shows that ! the two automatic qualifier should be should be given to western visayas ! not NCR !
ReplyDeleteOws.
ReplyDeleteThere should be a coeffecient or rating based on previous tournaments. These ratings will be the main factor of who will have automatic qualification.
ReplyDeleteNO to automatic qualification...everyone should pass through regional elims like anybody else.
ReplyDeletethis is Futbol Pilipinas....not Futbol Iloilo nor Futbol Bacolod...lantaw lang ta hampang kag mag sinadya...maybe a couple of years from now...kibot lang ta...we are all cheering for our team...Team Azkals on WORLD CUP....2018 ayhan??
ReplyDeleteabsent naman ni sa 19...tani patas lang home game ba...heheheheheh
ReplyDeletenext year, NCR the ang tatalo sa bacolod and iloilo. nakita nyo naman siguro ang laro ng ncr.
ReplyDeleteIlonggo Derby!
ReplyDeletenakita mo naman siguro ang goal nga NCR...galing nun...swabe...heheeheheheheh...pang RVP yun...
ReplyDeleteThe PFF Competitions Committee decided not to allow the inclusion of azkals Mark Ferrer in the Iloilo U23 team for the finals against NOFA. There is in fact no rule that prohibits a provincial association to include in its roster, players belonging to its own football association who were unable to play for them during the regional eliminations. It is really lamentable if not sad that our very own national team player, qualified for the Under 23, was barred from representing his own province for the sole reason that he did not play in the regionals though part of the original line up submitted to the PFF one week before the tournament began...
ReplyDeletefrom stallion fc..
-STALLION FC
Iloilo Under - 23 Update:
Mark Ferrer will not play for the Iloilo Under-23 Team. Permit revoked by the Air Force Coaching Staff.
April 11 at 11:16pm · Like ·
link of the partial line-up of iloilo that includes mark weeks before the tournament..
-http://www.facebook.com/notes/stallion-fc/iloilo-under-23/193268517377461
There is in fact no rule that prohibits a provincial association to include in its roster, players belonging to its... own football association who were unable to play for them during the regional eliminations. but if the sole reason that players should play in the regionals. then all NCR teams should not be playing in the Nationals ! none of the two teams participated in the regionals.
ReplyDeleteAnyways Iloilo is not a team that depends only on 1-2 players , ! IFA should send two teams. instead of NCR sending two teams.
I think Iloilo is not depending on 1-2- players, but Gustilo and Ferrer , are a plus factor to the team., ! I remembered the times when Iloilo team was powered by Gustilo , Ferrer and Jovin Bedic in the Middle.( this was palarong pambansa I think. !
ReplyDeleteNOFA is tough team though. !
NCR B is proving its worth. If they played together a little bit longer ,Iloilo and Bacolod , might be in big trouble. !
Davao is still the same very strong team. you can't put your guards down.