Passion for football

The Philippines lost to Tajikistan due to goal difference and didn’t qualify for the AFC Challenge Cup in India this July.

Last Thursday, the Philippines held Tajikistan to a scoreless draw despite playing with only 10 men in the second half.

That game was intense and very physical. Defender Jason Cordova got a red card for punching a Tajik player in the 21st minute. At halftime, Anton Del Rosario had to defend himself when Tajik players gang up on him during the halftime break.

Despite the Philippines missing the chance to play in India, the 4-nation qualifying tournament co-hosted by Barotac Nuevo and Iloilo City was a blast.

Despite the rain brought by typhoon Cosme, fans came in droves to cheer for team captain Emilio “Chieffy” Caligdog, strikers Ian Araneta, Joven Bedic and Ruben Doctora, midfielders Ricardo Becite, Meliton Pelayo, Glester Sobremisana, and defenders Joebel Bermejo, Jason Cordova and Antonio Albor. Except for Cordova, who is from Sta. Barbara, all the other players are from Barotac Nuevo.

Completing the Philippine team are Fil-Brits Phil and James Younghusband, Neil Etheridge, Fil-Ams Chad Gould, Aly Borromeo and Arman Del Rosario.

This is not the first time “Barotacnons” almost took all the slots available in the Philippine team. Barotac Nuevo is the hotbed of football talent in the country.

Barotac Nuevo and its townsfolk have an unbridled passion for football. In Barotac, football is the game. While many not know what an “offensive foul” is, they all know what “offside” is! It’s the only third class municipality with a P10M football training facility.

The town runs a comprehensive football program where children learn the basics of the game – rules, mechanics, dribbling and defending skills – while in elementary grades. They participate in continuous developmental tournaments and those who show promise qualify for advanced training. Almost all the clubs in the country recruit players from Barotac Nuevo.

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The town is also proud of Paulino Alcantara, a Filipino-Spanish football player, born in Barotac Nuevo on October 7, 1896. In 1922, what is currently the Barcelona Football Club, recruited the 15-year-old Filipino. The rookie debuted with a hat trick in the team’s 8-2 win over Catalia. To date, he holds the record of being the youngest player in the history of the club to score a goal. 

Alcantara played for Spain and the Philippines national teams (1917). In a 1922 match against France, Alcantara kicked a goal so powerful it ripped net. This earned him the moniker: “Break Nets.” In 1917, while playing for the Philippines, Alcantara was responsible for handing Japan a 15-2 beating - the worst defeat in that nation’s football history.

Alcantara retired in 1927 to pursue his medical studies. He won for Barcelona five Spanish Cups (1913, 1920, 1922, 1925 and 1926), plus 10 Catalonia championships (1913, 1916, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927).

He is Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer with an enviable record of 374 goals in 375 games! In honor of this Barotac football legend, a painting of Alcantara is one of the priceless memorabilia displayed at the Barcelona FC Museum.

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Advanced birthday greetings to my sister-in-law May Aldemita who will be a year older this Sunday and to my daughter Kyrene Darby, who will turn 14, next Wednesday.

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