Giuseppe teams start hot in Aboitiz Cup football tilt

CEBU, Philippines - The Giuseppe booters made the biggest noise at the start of the 14th Aboitiz Cup football tournament after winning all their assignments yesterday at the Aboitiz Sports field in Mandaue City.

Giuseppe outsmarted Bright Academy, 1-0, in the players 6 to join the likes of San Roque Football Club, Don Bosco Technology Center, BMALV and Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu in the winners' column.

SRFC won by default over MABES, DBTC beat Bright-B, SHS-AdC scored a 2-0 triumph over Canduman Deadon, while BMALV upended CPMS, 1-0.

Giuseppe’s players 8 entry was more aggressive, dumping DBTC, 9-0, while the other pitch saw SHS-AdC pulling off a 1-0 victory against DBTC-1.

In the players 10, Giuseppe posted a 4-2 triumph over DBTC-2, while Bright Academy came up with a 9-0 shutout of CIE.

Giuseppe also won by default over SHS-AdC in the boys 12 division, while MABES scored a 6-0 rout of Cebu Eastern College.

In the other boys 12 matches, Springdale carved out a 12-0 demolition of SAIS, while Bright Academy chalked up a 4-0 triumph over CIC-Mandaue.

 Ninety-six teams from different schools and football clubs took part in the under a league-type tournament in different age brackets both in men’s and women’s categories.

Cebu Football Association (CFA) tournament director Eleazar Toledo said for this year’s season, they did not limit the teams joining in each category. 

The organizers also added the men’s U-19 and men’s U-23 as new categories in preparation for the Philippine Football Federation's Smart and Suzuki regional finals in May 2012.

Toledo added that the outcome of the tournament would be the basis in determining Cebu’s representative to any regional or national finals organized by the Philippine Football Federation (PFF). It is also the best venue to scout players who will become part of the national team.

During yesterday's opening, five tickets to the exhibition match between the Philippine Azkals and the David Backham-led Los Angeles Galaxy were raffled off.

The Aboitiz Cup is the premiere football event and the longest running age-group competition in Cebu. (FREEMAN)