Cebu Football - Squandered chance

By Mike Limpag

AN erratic Cebu Amateur Football Club (CAFC) conceded a late goal for a 1-1 draw with FC Inter Cebu (FCIC) in Day 5 of the CAFC 10th Interclub Invitational Tournament at the University of San Carlos (USC).

CAFC got the no.1 spot with eight points from four matches, while idle Doraemon is second with seven. FCIC is third with five, while USJ-R, which was to play Count FC yesterday, is fourth with four points.

The FCIC vs. CAFC draw has revived the slim hopes of USC, which is fifth with three points, of making the semifinals.

First, it has to beat FCIC today to vault to the top four with six points and hope Doraemon beats FCIC on Friday.

Yesterday, CAFC could have been up 4-0 as early as the 16th minute if not for its erratic finishing.

Arnie Pasinabo had three clear chances—twice with the keeper off balanced. But two of his shots were cleared by a defender, while a third went straight to the keeper.
Rommel Cuizon joined the act and had his shot deflected in the 16th.

Then things turned weird for CAFC.

Rene Menchavez stormed off the field and was yellow carded and midfielder Julius Acre also tried to walk off and asked to be subbed before cooler heads convinced the two to keep playing.

Menchavez made amends in the 34th with a perfectly-taken free kick for 1-0.

However, Toto Gempesaw managed to even the count just five minutes from time.

In the U17 matches, a momentary lapse cost the Sacred Heart School-Jesuits (SHS-J) dearly as it lost to Sta. Rita, 3-2, while Don Bosco College (DBC) showed no mercy to Danao FC, 15-0.

DBC now leads its group with six points, while Abellana National School is second. In the other group, SHS-J, Sta. Rita and Springdale all have three points and are separated only by goal difference.

Delbert Tan put SHS-J on top in the seventh before Nelson Ybañez leveled the count in the 16th.

SHS-J got got the lead back in the 60th but conceded two goals in the last two minutes. Romar Canoay scored from a free kick while John Shade Panisan scored a minute later for Sta. Rita’s comeback win.

Sun Star Cebu