Dumaguete thrashes Leyte 5-0

Morris Tulang evades two Leyte defenders to slip one past keeper Ferdinand Fortaliza. Tulang, team captain for Dumaguete torched Fortaliza for four goals as the home team won 5-0.

Dumaguete thrashes Leyte 5-0

story and photos by rick olivares

DUMAGUETE -- Morris John Tulang led the assembled teams from five provinces in reciting the Athlete’s Prayer at the Filomeno Cimafranca Field then he proceeded to cut out the hearts of the young team from Leyte by scoring four goals in spectacular fashion. Fellow midfielder John Carl Tuballa added a penalty shot of his own in the 74^th minute to complete a 5-nil rout by host team Dumaguete over their counterparts from Leyte.

Prior to the match, Leyte Football Association President Dan Palami, who was on hand to grace the first day of the Visayas Regionals of the PFF Suzuki U-23 National Cup, noted that this was his province’s first ever regional football match. “This is our first time to compete here so as far as expectations are concerned, we hope to gain a lot of experience.”

And after Dumaguete lit them up for five goals, Team Leyte Consultant Onie Patulin said after the match that the experience “is an eye opener. We can only get better from this. Now they know what this level of competition is like.”

The two teams battled evenly in first 20 minutes of the match but it was obvious that the Leyte eleven was a bundle of nerves. Whether it was because they were playing to a large crowd that had gathered to cheer on the home team as well as to ogle and ask the Azkals players for photos and autographs, the visitors were committing mistakes in their clearance and midfield passing.

In the 25^th minute, Tulang, the team captain for the home side, split two defenders and banged in a shot from five feet away past Leyte goal keeper Ferdinand Fortaliza.

The 5’6” Tulang displayed great passing skills, an uncanny feel for the game, and “courage good for several boys” described Dumaguete head coach Pere Siennes. In the 34^th minute he bore down on Fortaliza and unleashed a powerful shot that the Leyte keeper was to parry but unable to hold on to. Tulang danced around the perplexed keeper to poke in his second goal.

In the 50^th minute, he beat the offside trap to go one on one with Fortaliza who had no chance. The embarrassment was complete ten minutes later when Tulang laced a shot into an empty net after Fortaliza successfully challenged the initial attempt.

“I feel overwhelmed” said Tulang after the match. “I never thought I could do something like score four goals in a big match like this. Hopefully, this will give us confidence to play the favored teams.”

Before the match, five members of the Philippine Men’s National Football Team – Emelio “Chieffy” Caligdong, Ian Araneta, Roel Gener, Yannick Tuason, and Paolo Pascual – led a motorcade on board Suzuki motorcycles through the city streets. The Azkals were in town to grace the opening day of the Visayas regionals along with Suzuki Philippines President Satoshi Uchida, Dumaguete Mayor Chiquiting Sagarbarria, Negros Oriental Football Association President Dick Emperado, and Palami.

Gener, Tuason, and Pascual will give a football clinic for young footballers at the Silliman pitch at 8am Saturday morning. Araneta and Caligdong will fly back to Manila.

Notes: Dumaguete is missing six of its best players as they are currently in Manila to take entrance exams for different colleges and universities. PFF President Mariano V. Araneta played twice on the Cimafranca Field, one as a player for UP that went up against Silliman University that had Dick Emperado and Chiquiting Sagarbarria on their football team. The last time Araneta played there was while he was with the Philippine Air Force. He is 2-0 at Cimafranca Field.

Starting lineups:

Dumaguete: Ricky James Lacson (goal keeper), John Gerson Rubio (defender), Frederick Isic (defender), Rey Anthony Ello (defender), Mark Dickie Abella (defender), Morris John Tulang (midfielder), Gypsy Ventolero (midfielder), John Carl Tuballa (midfielder), Adrian Pitogo (midfielder), Remelito Tabuñag (forward), and Angelo Mariño (forward)

Leyte: Ferdinand Fortaliza (goalkeeper), Joveth Abril (defender), Divino Regis Jr. (defender), Rodolfo Tomada (defender), Jonel Perante (defender), Genesis Pongos (midfielder), Virgilio Manjeron (midfielder), Clarito Violan Jr. (midfielder), Mark Jude Ibero (midfielder), Angelo Marzon (forward), and Alfred Solayao (forward).

Match stats:

Shots on goal:

Dumaguete – 14

Leyte – 4

Corners:

Dumaguete – 6

Leyte - 4

Offsides:

Dumaguete – 2

Leyte - 0

Morris Tulang leads the recitation of the Athlete's Prayer. Two hours later, he demolished Leyte by scoring four goals.