Columbia foils Central Minda, rules Acer U-23

MANILA, Philippines - Host Columbia Football Club blanked Central Mindanao University, 4-0, to capture the ACER Cup Under-23 Mindanao Invitational Championship crown at the Tionko grounds in Davao City last Monday.

Nur Hazzanal Mentang scored all four goals for Columbia, including a hat-trick in the final half and was later named the Best Midfielder of the five-day league presented by ACER Philippines in coordination with Columbia Computer Center and the Davao Football Association.

The 20-year old Mentang, a BS in Administration student of the Rizal Memorial Colleges, first gave Columbia a 1-0 lead in the 48th minute. He added three more goals in the 52nd, 67th and 80th – all inside the penalty box.

Columbia’s Edwin Giganto Jr. was chosen as the Most Valuable Player and Best Defender while teammate Jeffrey Albon bagged the Best Goalkeeper award. Birn Manique of University of Mindanao Tagum took the Best Striker plum.

They were given brand-new ACER laptop units awarded by DFA president Edward “Chaya” Lam, general secretary Erwin Protacio and DFA board members Rafael Vilela and Reginald Ozims.

Despite missing the services of head coach Abing Lim, Columbia dominated CMU to make a clean sweep (4-0-0 win-draw-loss) and earn the P10,000 cash prize plus a trophy and medals.

UM Tagum beat Medvil, 5-1, to cop the first runner-up with a 3-0-1 card and went home with P5,000 and medals. CMU settled for second runner-up honor and got P2,000 with medals. UM Tagum drew goals from Cusimero Amad (63’, 86’), Mark Anthony Juan (69’), Mark Ador (76’), and Birn Manique (82’) while Reymon Pareda (23’) made it for Medvil.

Also present during the closing rites were Davao del Norte FA president Rene Cosmod and Gilbert Mendez of Columbia Computer Center.