Cebu Football - USPF stuns USJ-R

By Edri K. Aznar

LAST week’s losers came back strong to surprise the favorites in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. collegiate football at the University of San Carlos (USC)-Technological field.

The University of the Visayas (UV) erased a two-goal deficit to draw with USC, 2-2, while the University of Southern Philippines had a strong second half to surprise defending champion University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R), 2-1, in the second game.

USC still leads the tournament with four points, while USPF is now third with three points behind University of Cebu. UV is fourth with a point, while the defending champion sits at the bottom.

Despite being down to 10 players after Paul dela Victoria got booked with a red card in the 20th minute, USJ-R still drew first blood due to the error of USPF goalkeeper Jaysan Galarrita.

Galarrita failed to clear the incoming ball, giving Junjun Pintuan an easy tap-in goal in the 24th.

Defender Aljohn Armamento got the equalizer for USPF with a perfectly-struck free kick in the 73rd and USPF didn’t let up with their attack.

Their efforts paid off as Joseph Rodriguez scored the winning goal in the 87th minute, off a feed from Rene Sanchez.

On the other hand, University of the Visayas (UV) salvaged a 2-2 draw with frontrunner USC after an impressive last-minute run.

USC had a commanding 2-0 lead at halftime with goals from winger Folkhanes Anthony in the 15th, and midfielder Karl Vincent Arcenas in the 40th minute. Arcenas’s goal came from a 25-yard freekick that hit the top corner.

However, UV scored a quick goal in the second half with a header from striker Juvinal Villahermosa and he struck again in the 90th for the equalizer.

Cebu Football