Bacolod and Iloilo collide in PFF Suzuki U23 Cup regionals

This appears in the Monday April 18, 2011 edition of the Business Mirror.

Bacolod and Iloilo collide in PFF Suzuki U23 Cup regionals

by rick olivares

After three days of intense football competition, the regional favorites – Bacolod and Iloilo – are lording it over their provincial neighbors in the PFF Suzuki U-23 National Cup at Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.

Iloilo, coached by Barotac Nuevo native and current University of Santo Tomas boss Marjo Allado, secured two wins over Cebu (2-0) and Leyte (8-0) while keeping clean sheets. Bacolod, mentored by former Azkals coach Norman Fegidero Jr. who also handles West Negros University, kept pace with wins over Cebu (3-nil) and Dumaguete (3-nil).

Host Dumaguete is currently in third place with one win (a 5-nil demolition of Leyte) in two matches. The Warays are lodged at the cellar of the five-team cluster competition along with the Cebuanos with each side winless in two starts.  The Cebuanos, however, occupy fourth spot because of their -5 goal difference while Leyte has surrendered 13 goals in two matches.

The national tournament, the first held in the country in over four years and the first under new PFF President Mariano V. Araneta, features 28 Under-23 squads from the different regional football associations competing for the championship that is sponsored by Suzuki Philippines.

The local cup is the first sponsored by the Japanese integrated automotive company outside the popular Asean Football Federation Suzuki Cup. The Philippine Men’s National Football Team advanced to the semifinal stage for the first time in the 16-year history of the tournament last November and December 2010 when they posted a two-win, four-draw, and two-loss record that included a 2-nil win over erstwhile defending champion Vietnam. Araneta said that some of the best players of the tournament will be considered to be a part of the national team that will compete in the 2011 SEA Games in November of this year in Indonesia.

Bacolod features homegrown stars while Iloilo is bannered by many players who play for Manila schools in the NCAA and UAAP. The Ilonggos, traditional favorites, have lined up San Beda’s central back duo of brothers Neckson and Nicholas Leonora, Far Eastern University’s German Doronilla, Francis Gustilo, and Glester Sobremisana, and the University of Santo Tomas’ Ronald Batisla-Ong, Christian de Juan, Shirmar Felongco, and Fidel Kue. Allado’s players from San Beda and FEU have won titles while his own Growling Tigers contingent figured in the UAAP title games of the past two seasons.

“Our target is to make the top two teams that qualify for the next stage which is the quarterfinals,” said Fegidero. “Then we will see how we match up against the best of the country.”

Bacolod and Iloilo will collide today, Monday, at 1pm at the Filomeno Cimafranca Field in Silliman University. The Negrenses will be lead by speedy striker Aldrin Dolino, midfielder Joshua Beloya, and imposing 6’2” central back Lemuel Unabia. Their game is predicated on ball possession with quick passing and even quicker strikes. In their 3-nil over Cebu, Unabia sent a long ball from the backfield that went over the heads of two Cebuano defenders. Dolino beat them to in and in one deft flick of the foot sent the ball past their keeper Garry Garciano. Dolino torched Garciano once more when the goalkeeper left his line to challenge the striker who had once more broken free from his defender. The Bacolod player simply chipped the ball over Garciano into an empty net.

The Ilonggos in the meantime have some gifted playmakers in Gustilo, Sobremisana, and Felongco who was the adjudged the Best Midfielder in the UAAP last season. The three have created numerous scoring chances for their side which leads the cluster in scoring with 10 goals in two matches.