UFL Division II: Pachanga repeats over Queen City United

Pachanga repeats over Queen City United

The rematch between Pachanga and Cebu Queen City United was a little more trench warfare. But the end result was still the same… in the Red Phoenix’ favor, 1-0.

by rick olivares

February 11, 2012

Rizal Memorial Football Stadium

Cebu Queen City United boarded a Cebu Pacific flight bound for Manila at 8am. In six hours’ time, they were to face off with old nemesis Pachanga in a nationally televised game. Thus far, they toted a 1-1-1 record. They drew Diliman, 1-1; fell to Agila, 2-1; and upset Laos, 2-0. Thus far, they had gone through the meat grinder of teams touted to compete for the division title. Pachanga was their ultimate test for the Red Phoenix was undefeated in four matches.

Head coach Mario Ceniza hoped to draw from the positives and confidence booster that was the win against Laos, the brother club of Global. Despite the demoralizing blowouts inflicted upon Queen City United during the cup competition, the response to their club back in Cebu was overwhelmingly positive.

When one spoke about football in the Visayas, talk was centered largely on Bacolod and Iloilo. Yet in Cebu, there was San Carlos City, considered a hotbed for football. Queen City called for tryouts following the cup and over 30 footballers showed up to win a spot on Ceniza’s squad.

“We are not just a club,” emphasized Ceniza. “We are a club that represents Cebu. The only other club that can claim to represent a city or a certain place is Stallion (they are an Iloilo-based club that owes it roots to Barotac Nuevo).”

The positive vibes that carried over from the win over Laos carried over to Saturday. Their youth movement – acquiring Prince Anthony and Dan Villarico from Cebu’s Under-19 team as well as Ryan Lirio, Bryan Eborda, Mark Hilay, and Ricardo Tabares from San Carlos City had given the team a new dimension. Aside from the fresh legs, they had shored up their once porous midfield. “The odds are against us,” added Ceniza. “But we hope to give Pachanga a good fight.”

Despite the Red Phoenix’s 4-0 win over Cebu in the UFL Cup, they had scouted them enough to change their formation. From their traditional 4-4-2, they decided to run a 3-2-4-1 formation to stop Cebu’s midfield and to protect against the long ball. They lost some speed when Alu Kigbu left for Kaya. Although Janrick Soriano’s arrival from Global added some wide right threat. The partnership between Kigbu, Diop, and Ojamire had been superb. Pachanga had beaten teams with excellent midfield play and speed in the middle and attacking thirds. They thought that the 3-2-4-1 formation gave them strength in numbers.

What Pachanga did not count on was the heat. The team had been regularly training from 10-12 noon at the Turf at BGC but the 30° Saturday heat was something else. As soon as their starting eleven prepared to go out to the pitch for the kickoff, the players felt their lips all dried up.

As soon as the game started, it was obvious that the heat was bothering both squads. And the chess match between Fegidero and Ceniza was coming to play.

Pachanga stopped the longball play and forced United on the defensive. Queen City on the other hand took Oussey Diop out of the game. Diop, the Red Phoenix’s central playmaker couldn’t get anything going.

Fegidero started Gonzalez as in Pachanga’s previous games, they couldn’t get any production out of striker Chris Ojamire who struggled to regain his goal scoring form following his groin injury during the cup competition. It was a risk as Gonzalez, a one time national striker, was the team’s supersub who had scored four goals in four matches (he should have five as one – an own goal by an Agila defender – was not credited to him). His energy in the second half, despite not being in tip-top form, clearly was a shot of adrenaline for a powerhouse team that oft struggled to score.

As United continued to shut down Pachanga’s prolific offense, the move to start Gonzalez looked like it would backfire.

For sure Pachanga was peppering Villarta with all manner of shots but aside from a bevy of defenders, he had a goalkeeper’s best friend in the crossbar.

Halfway through the first 45 minutes, the Red Phoenix finally gained control of the midfield and sent Cebu back on the defensive only breaking their holding pattern when a counteroffensive materialized. Luckily for Pachanga, they arguably have the best centerback in the country in Yves Ashime because when their defenders were a little more adventurous, he was there to take the ball away from Junard Aguilar or Ryan Lirio, Cebu’s twin strikers. Plus, they caught a break when Cebu was reduced to 10 men when Adlai Rivera was shown his second yellow card in the match after he nearly amputated Diop’s foot with a nasty tackle.

At the half, Pachanga made a few changes to the positioning of their players. Diop was dropped all the way to the bottom of the diamond midfield while Jovin Bedic moved to the top striker position while Gonzalez played behind him.

The effect was instantaneous as Pachanga moved the ball upfield far better and Gonzalez fooled Villarta before heading the ball in the 49^th minute for what would be the only goal of the game. The Red Phoenix were in control and subsequent subs Anu Farah and Ojamire had opportunities to add to the tally but their finishing left much to be desired. “Yes, it is disappointing to not score more goals,” said Kross Ubiam inside the team locker room post-match. “But we got the win and that was the most important thing we needed.”

Even as Pachanga rained shots on United’s goal, Cebu gave a good account of themselves with their discipline and defense. The 1-0 loss was just as good as their draw with Diliman. “Malayo pa,” smiled Ceniza. Queen City knows that they are no longer a team that can be considered as cannon fodder. They are more competitive and given a little more seasoning plus a few more pieces, can be highly competitive. “Pero we pick up our small victories where we can.”

In a way, Ceniza was also referring to the long and lonely flight home where his players will contemplate another loss. Somewhere… there are positives to take from this.

QUEEN CITY UNITED

Villarta

Cubelo   Rivera    Ebordo   Baunsit

Menchavez   Flores   Anthony   Conmigo

Aguilar    Lirio

Gonzalez

Espinosa   Bedic   Cañedo   Palomo

Ubiam   Diop

Tacusalme   Ashime   Soriano

Dolloso

PACHANGA