THE Philippine men's football team got another stiff challenge from a local champion club in its final friendly match, but will depart for Manila today full of sweet memories from its brief stay in Davao City.
The RP squad completed its 10-day training camp in the City of Durian with a 5-1 victory over Medvil FC, needing excellent performances from captain Ali Borromeo and James Younghusband to pull through in the end after a tight first half.
Borromeo scored on a penalty kick as the Filipino booters held a 1-0 lead at the half, then scored again in the second half from short range to make it 2-0.
Younghusband, Emelio "Chipi" Caligdong and Nestorio Margarse added a goal each to complete the scoring parade for the RP team.
Allan Ray Fernandez averted a shutout when he scored on a spot kick just before the game ended to the cheers of the spectators, who braved the scorching heat of the sun just to see the nationals and their local stars play Wednesday afternoon at the Tionko field.
On Thursday, RP British coach Simon Alexander McMenemy and some members of the team appeared during ABC-CBN Davao's morning show "Maayong Buntag Mindanao and conducted a clinic for the coaches as part of their final-day activities before closing camp.
The team also took lunch at the Stadium Buffet Restaurant and Sports Lounge owned by avid football supporter Bai Lim and was scheduled to visit the Lon Wa Buddhist Temple and the Philippine Academy of Sakya along Cabaguio Avenue Thursday afternoon.
"I love Davao and I definitely want to go back here," said the 24-year-old James Younghusband, one of the two Filipino-British booters in the RP team. The other one is Philip, 23, who plays the midfield.
Philip missed the last match after hurting his right ankle in the team's second friendly match against the Hooligans FC.
McMenemy said they liked it in Davao and his players got what they came for and that is to have a taste of Davao football.
McMeneny was impressed with his boys's performance in the three matches that they played here, although he admitted in a recent sports forum that they need to improve on their defense.
"On defense I think we have to to be a little bit tighter," McMenemy said.
The RP booters scored a total of 20 goals in three matches while conceding only three, two on penalty kicks and one during a breakaway. The national squad earlier beat University of Mindanao, 6-0, and Hooligans, 9-2.
The team will stay for six days in Manila before flying to Taiwan for another series of friendly competitions there.
Mcmeney is hoping that his team should be well-prepared in time for the AFF Suzuki Cup qualifiers set from Oct. 22 to 27 in Laos.
Sun Star Davao
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