RP team blanks Cebu squad, 5-0

The result came as expected by the 2,000 or so people who gathered at the University of San Carlos-Talamban Campus field yesterday afternoon to witness history relished every moment of the exhibition match between the Philippine football team and the Cebu selection.

The national squad, which played for the first time in Cebu, scored a 5-0 win against the Cebuanos in the match that highlighted the opening day of the 8th Cebu Inter-Club Football Cup organized by the Cebu Amateur Football Club.

RP team skipper Emilio Caligdong broke the ice in the game scoring on a follow-up on the 23rd minute.

Jovin Bedic came off the bench to score the second goal for the national side on the 38th then Phil Younghusband headed in a marker on the 42nd to give the RP team a 3-0 lead at the bend.

Early in the second half, James Younghusband knocked in a free kick to make it 4-0 on the 47th minute.

Chad Alesna Gould, whose mother is from Cebu, settled the final tally with a volley on the 61st minute.

The national team showed some problems about blending as the Fil-foreign players have not yet spent much time with their local counterparts, but the result was still impressive.

Four former members of the national team from Cebu were also there including Rocky Garciano, who played for the Cebu selection and Glen Ramos, who coached the Cebuano side.  Also present was Lito Ramos, a brother of Glen, and Joey Villareal, who is best remembered as the ‘Mr. Football’ of the Philippines during his heydays in Manila.

Games for the 8th Cebu Inter-Club Football Cup will start today in three venues.

The USC-TC field will host the men’s open and men’s 38-above categories while the 15-under and ladies teams will play at the San Roque Parish Field in Subangdaku, Mandaue City.  The games for the 12-under class will be hosted by Springdale.

There are ten teams in the men’s open, four each for the 38-above and ladies, nine for 15-under, and eight for 12-under.

The participating teams come from various cities of the Visayas and Mindanao.

Richard Montayre, president of the CAFC and the CebuFA, welcomed the participants and guests to the event including Jose Mari Martinez, the president of the Philippine Football Federation.

Martinez told the Cebuano football community about the plans and projects of the national body and how it is now working to do its share for Cebu football development.

Don Bosco’s Rikko de Guzman, skipper of the Cebu City team that won the national title in last year’s Philippine Olympic Festival in Manila, led the oath of sportsmanship.

The inter-club event will run until Sunday.