Negros booters make semis

SANTA BARBARA, Iloilo — Negros Oriental outclassed Rizal, 8-2, Monday and joined idle Iloilo in the semifinals of the Adidas national under-19 football championship here.

Lemuel Pontillas continued his fiery performance in the tourney organized by the Philippine Football Federation, hosted by Iloilo Football Association and sponsored by Adidas by scoring four goals to power the Negrenses to a sweep of their three Group B assignments.

Roni John Lao ably supported Pontillas with three markers.

Laguna bolstered its semifinal chances in Group C by blanking Legazpi-Albay, 11-0, for its second straight win while Cebu closed out its schedule in the same group with a 11-1 thrashing of Cagayan de Oro for a 2-1 record.

NCR ended two days of frustration with a 2-0 victory over Cotabato City in a non-bearing contest.

Adornis Torres and Eliezer Fabroada sparked Laguna’s lopsided triumph with four and three goals, respectively. Jay Torres added two while John Bryan Pasion and Bryan Dizon contributed one each.

Arnie Pacinabo starred for Cebu with three goals, while Elizer Pacubas and Julius Acre had two each.

Meanwhile, Emar Learning Center and RMC (Rizal Memorial Colleges) hurdled their respective assignments last Sunday to arrange a showdown for the Davao City Coke Go-for-Goal under-16 football title at the Agro field.

Emar nipped Holy Child A, 2-1, on Clifford Dacera’s goal in the 79th minute while RMC ripped Holy Child B, 5-0, behind two goals each by Ryan Orchuela and Rufino Samuel Mantos.

Emar and RMC will dispute the title on Oct. 11, after the battle for third place between the two Holy Child