Azkals players sanctioned for 'discipline breakdown'

ABS-CBNnews.com


MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Disciplinary Committee has cleared Azkals players Angel Guirado and Lexton Moy of sexual harassment in the complaint by former Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Cristy Ramos, but they and 4 others got sanctions for disciplinary and leadership issues.
According to Azkals team manager Dan Palami, the Disciplinary Committee found no evidence of sexual harassment on the part of Guirado and Moy.
“It is to the relief of the team and the management that such a serious charge has been found to be without foundation but this is no surprise to us,” said Palami in a statement.
However, Palami said the committee handed suspensions on “other parties not involved with the case.”
Palami did not mention the names of those who were suspended.
“With full respect to the Disciplinary Committee, we will be appealing the decision,” he said.
However, the Philippine Star reported Saturday that although Guirado and Moy were cleared of sexual harassment, they were suspended for one international game each for "breakdown in discipline."
Also suspended for the same offense is James Younghusband, who was team captain when the incident happened, the broadsheet said.
The Philippine Star also reported that Azkals coach Michael Weiss and team manager Dan Palami were suspended for 2 matches each for "failure of leadership." Assistant coach Edzel Bracamonte was meted a one-game suspension.
The newspaper said Dennis Wolf was reprimanded.

ABS CBN News

Azkals meted sanctions over Jalasco complaint

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Football Federation’s disciplinary committee has cleared Azkals Angel Guirado and Lexton Moy in a “sexual harassment” complaint filed against them by former match commissioner Cristy Ramos, but meted sanctions on the two players and four other members of the team for either “breakdown in discipline” or “failure of leadership.”
Ramos took offense in Moy’s “Cup B” remarks and Guirado being in his underwear while she conducted the pre-game inspection for the Azkals versus Malaysia friendly at Rizal last Feb. 29, actions she claimed qualified as “sexual harassment” under Republic Act 7877.
“We do not find any grounds upon which to favor her claims as the elements under RA 7877 are absent,” the committee headed by lawyer Enrico Ingles said in the ruling released six months since it began its probe.

Still, the disciplinary body suspended Guirado, Moy, and James Younghusband, the team captain that time, for one international game each for “breakdown in discipline.” Also banned for two matches apiece were coach Michael Weiss and team manager Dan Palami while assistant coach Edzel Bracamonte got a one-game sit-out for “failure of leadership.”

Denis Wolf, who was supposedly the subject of Moy’s chest size remarks, was likewise reprimanded.
Palami said he’s filing a “motion to stay execution of decision pending appeal,” claiming he wasn’t a respondent in the complaint and he wasn’t given due process.
“I’ve always been confident there’s no basis for a sexual harassment case. Of course, we’re happy with the decision regarding that matter,” said Palami.
“When we saw the decision, though, there were people who were not complained of but meted suspension by the disciplinary committee. So the decision is being partially appealed insofar as the penalties imposed on those who weren’t parties is concerned,” he added.

The Azkals are set to play a series of friendlies next week as part of their buildup for the AFF Suzuki Cup and they are asking that the penalized parties be allowed to take part pending appeal with the PFF appeals committee.

Philstar

Official Statement from the Azkals Team Manager

The PFF Disciplinary Committee has released the verdict in the Ms Cristy Ramos “sexual harassment” case. We would like to thank the Disciplinary committee for their hard work in arriving at the verdict, we respect the verdict but at the same time we must respect the due process that goes with investigations of this kind including the appeals process available to all parties.


The Disciplinary Committee has found no evidence of sexual harassment and we thank them for that. It is to the relief of the team and the management that such a serious charge has been found to be without foundation but this is no surprise to us.


However, other parties not involved with the case were handed suspensions. With full respect to the
Disciplinary Committee we will be appealing the decision.


Meanwhile we will continue to focus on the goal of making the country proud thru the game of football. Please can we request everyone to be respectful in their communications about this and to allow the process to continue until its full conclusion. Thank you.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Comment :

This a very confusing statement :




1. The PFF Disciplinary Committee sent their report to AFC . Is this only PFF disciplinary Committee verdict and where is AFC verdict ?


2. "However, other parties not involved with the case were handed suspensions. With full respect to the
Disciplinary Committee we will be appealing the decision."

 Why and who ? Mike Limpag wrote that Dan Palami himself and Coach Weiss is suspended because of Matt Hartmann issue !


3. "Please can we request everyone to be respectful in their communications about this and to allow the process to continue until its full conclusion. "

He dont want a discussion and publicity about this ?

Lexton Moy and Angel Guirado cleared , Weiss and Palami suspended ?

The PFF Disciplinary Committe has cleared Angel Guirado and Lexton Moy of the sexual harassment charges filed by match commissioner Cristy Ramos Jalasco.

The committee has also suspended 6 people in the Matt Hartmann issue .  Team manager is Dan Palami and Coach Weiss are two of them according to Mike Limpag`s blog.

More to follow....

Dan Palami will soon make a official statement about the suspension.

RMSC pitch ready to host Peace Cup

With the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium now available after its renovation was put on hold, the Philippine Football Federation has moved its four-nation Paulino Alcantara Peace Cup set Sept. 25-29 to the Manila venue from its original site in Bacolod.
“The only reason for us to propose the tournament in Bacolod before was because Rizal was not available,” PFF president Nonong Araneta explained in a press conference announcing the change in site for the bootfest featuring the Azkals, Guam, Chinese Taipei and Macau.
Rizal Stadium was supposed to undergo renovation and conversion into an all-weather artificial turf under the Fifa Goal Project 3 by this month, forcing the PFF to bring the Cup to the City of Smiles.
However, the facelift was stalled due to issues over “control” of the facility, which is managed by the Philippines Sports Commission. The PSC wouldn’t relinquish control of Rizal Stadium to the PFF, which is part of the stipulation of Fifa in approving grant for the project.
While the parties renegotiate the terms of the contract, the Rizal will continue to be maintained as a grass field.
Araneta and PFF communications and marketing head Ebong Joson said staging the Cup in Manila will be more cost-effective.
“We will be reducing costs by holding the tournament in Manila,” said Araneta, while assuring football hotbed Bacolod that “we will still hold matches there in the future.”
“All our resources are in Manila,” said Joson. “Now that Rizal became available, holding the tournament here will enable us to organize the games more efficiently for all the teams who will be arriving.”

The Paulino Alcantara Peace Cup will serve a key ingredient for the Azkals’ buildup for the AFF Suzuki Cup. It will also be a part of the activites in the Peace Month in September, as per PFF’s partnership with the Office of the Presidentail Adviser on the Peace Process.

philstar

PH, Singapore coming

By Cheska D. Geli

Thursday, August 30, 2012
CEBU is looking forward to its inaugural hosting of an international football match between the Philippine Men’s National Football Team and Singapore this November.
Although, the match against the Lion City and its date has already been confirmed on Nov. 15, there is a move to request Singapore to move the date to Nov. 16 instead.

“It’s on the point of view of the Filipinos who would have wanted to watch the game on Friday because there is no work on Saturday,” said Azkals team manager Dan Palami.
Nov. 15 had been the initial agreed date between the parties as it lies on an international FIFA friendly date.
As for the lineup, Palami said local-based players are already fine. He added that just in case the overseas players cannot come, they will be ready for Singapore.
“Okay lang naman kahit local-based players maglaro kasi tumataas naman ang standard,” he said.
Palami said it’s a risk the team has to take if they excuse the overseas players for the Singapore friendly match because they might have a hard time having these players released by their clubs in the actual tournament.
Visit
Last Saturday, architect Ike Madamba and UFL technical director Cyril Dofitas paid the CCSC football field a visit.
The two said the task is more on field preparation, in making the pitch of
international standards. But Palami is confident with the strong support from Cebuanos.
“We are quite confident with the leadership of CFA. There are still a lot of things to do, but we see no major obstacle in this undertaking,” Palami said.
“I have a lot of faith in the Cebuanos that they can pull this off and hopefully make Cebu a practice venue for the challenge cup in the future,” he added.
Return invite
Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta said that a friendly match will serve as a return invitation to Singapore who hosted a game against the Azkals before.
“It’s a form of reciprocity kasi nakalaro na tayo sa kanila, now it’s our time to invite them para maglaro dito sa atin,” said Araneta.
He had already advised FIFA and AFC of the friendly match that will serve as the last friendly before they head on to the Suzuki Cup.
Meanwhile, Araneta also announced yesterday that the Paulino Alcantra Peace Cup will be at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Sept. 25-29.
Since the renovations on RMS have been on hold, it will be free to host the four-country tournament featuring Philippines, Taipei, Macau and Guam.
Palami said the target for the PAPC is on improving the local based players who will see action againt asian teams.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on August 30, 2012.

Kia Cup 2012

Columbian Autocar Corporation, in cooperation with the Philippine Football Federation and the Philippine Azkals, present

KIA Cup 2012
September 1-2, 2012
Alabang Country Club
...

For the benefit of the Philippine team to the Homeless World Cup 2012

Divisions:
Boys U18 (born 1994-95)
Boys U16 (born 1996-97)
Boys U14 (born 1998-99)
Girls U17 (born 1995-96)
Girls U15 (born 1997-98)
Mixed U12 (born 2000-01)
Mixed U10 (born 2002-03)
Mens Open
Ladies Open

Interested teams/clubs/schools may get in touch with Coach Hans-Peter Smit
0917 803 4367
0918 907 1327
hanspeterv@gmail.com

Also featuring:
Kids' U12 football clinic by the Philippine Azkals
Fundraising auction of select memorabilia from the Philippine Azkals

Paulino Alcantara Cup Venue Changed

The Philippine Football Federation has formally announced that the Paulino Alcantara Peace Cup will now be held at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila instead of Panaad Stadium in Bacolod.

The decision of the PFF came after the proposed renovation of the Rizal stadium was recently postponed.

The tournament will still be held from September 25 to 29 and will pit the Philippine national team against Chinese Taipei, Macau and Guam.

Villaflor: Azkals vs. Lions in Cebu: just a dream?

By Noel S. Villaflor

Footnote

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

I HAD a bad dream the other night.

I was sitting in a dark, empty stadium. The football field was empty, too, except for several strays marking the grass, oblivious to the powdered limestone that delineates the pitch and separates footballer from spectator. A few puzzled souls wandered in the unlit stands. Scratching their heads, they plodded toward the exit. I could hear their footsteps, heavy with disappointment. Then the click of a shutting gate – or door – woke me up.

No sooner had I felt relief to know it was all an ugly dream when I was greeted by some disturbing news: the Philippine Football Federation and Cebu Football Association cannot agree on the exact date for the November friendly between the Philippine Azkals and the Singapore Lions.

Earlier reports quoted CFA officials as saying the Nov. 16 date was final. However, the PFF maintains the date set with the Singapore FA is Nov. 15, an InterAKTV report said yesterday.

In response, the CFA said what they agreed on was Nov. 16, a Friday, since that date, being a weekend, would draw “more spectators.”

But according to the report, the PFF secretariat “stood its ground on the Nov. 15 date,” pointing out that “the schedule has been confirmed even by the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA as early as July 16.”

“No request from any of these football bodies to change it and no official correspondence has been released nor received with another date from 15 Nov.,” the InterAKTV report quoted the PFF secretariat’s forwarded text message as saying.

Now I’m not privy to the labyrinthine communication lines that connect the parties involved, but if the PFF, the Azkals management and the CFA won’t be able to sort this thing out, this bizarre development might turn into something far worse than a bad dream.

The November match would be Cebu’s baptism of fire in hosting big football matches. And for any sporting event of this magnitude, the date should have been set in stone by now.

Take the preparations for the Ironman 70.3 held in Metro Cebu last Aug. 5: the exact date of the event was announced as early as December 2011 yet. That’s nine months before the actual international triathlon took place.

It is now roughly just two and a half months away from the scheduled kickoff and the fans are still second-guessing, no different from how they were left hanging weeks earlier as to which team the Azkals would face in November at the Cebu City Sports Center.

Singapore’s name initially cropped up, but they reportedly backed out. In their place, the still unidentified runner up of the AFF Suzuki Cup qualifiers was slated to test the Azkals instead.

So when Singapore “finally confirmed” it will fly to Cebu for a Nov. 16 friendly,
Cebu’s football community welcomed the announcement with childlike anticipation.

I was cautiously optimistic, though, about how the big day would turn out. Would the fans fill the stadium? Would the Azkals’s Europe-based stalwarts make it to bolster our cause?

Still, those were the least of my worries, since there was the bigger risk the friendly could be scuttled by circumstances beyond anyone’s control (due to really, really foul weather, for instance).

As it now turns out, the biggest threat to this match from happening are not acts of God, but the acts of men who cannot agree on the simplest of things as agreeing on a match date.

But the Filipino football fans – those who will need to file leaves of absence, those who will have to book their flights in advance, those who must block all matters of consequence on that day just to watch their beloved Azkals – all they care about is for these men in authority to get their acts together.

Whether it’s Nov. 15 or 16 for the dream match, it doesn’t matter, as long as Singapore comes to Cebu. But the organizers need to clear that up now, once and for
all.

Otherwise, they better just spare the fans of that nightmarish wait for nothing.

(nsvillaflor@gmail.com)

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on August 30, 2012.

2012/13 UFL Season

UPDATE from UFL :


The new clubs who have expressed their interest to join the 2012/13 UFL Season are as follows:


1) Blue Guards FC

2) Bright Star FC

3) Garuda FC Philippines

4) General Trias International FC

5) Internacionale FC

6) International FC Philippines

7) Manhur FC

8) FC Masbate

9) Mendiola FC

10) Primero Cavite Atletico FC

11) Sta. Lucia Mustangs FC


The announcement of the new clubs accepted into the 2012/13 UFL Season will be made on Friday, 31 August 2012.

Green Archers United signs new players

Hans Smit confirms Green Archers United  has signed Ayii from Global, Mensah from Nomads, Obina from Loyola, Lee Saekyul from FEU Tams + another Iloilo player

2 booters join Azkals

By Peter Atencio 

Two new recruits will soon be suiting up for the Philippine Azkals national football team.

Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta yesterday said Fil-American booters Demetrius Omphroy and Matthew Uy will be around when the Azkals play a series of friendlies against Southeast Asian foes.

Omphroy, an American-born Panamanian, who plays defender and last played for Toronto in the US Major League Soccer, hooked up with the Azkals, along with Uy when the national squad went to the United States for a two-week camp and a friendly against the Chicago Inferno.

Uy, a defender, was a former member of the US national under-20 squad.

They will don the country’s colors against Cambodia on Sept. 5 in Phnom Penh.

“They will play against Cambodia. The two first came in as substitutes. But they gave a good account of themselves,” said Araneta.

The fixture against Cambodia will kick off a series of friendlies as the Azkals intensify their preparations for the Suzuki Cup.

Manila Standard Today

Paulino Alcantara Cup moved to Manila !

Tweet from Guam FA Twitter account :

"Just heard that the Paulino Alcantara Cup, formerly the Long Teng Cup, will be at Rizal Stadium instead of Panaad. "

PFF , Cebu officials confused about date of Azkals match

InterAKTV/Markku Seguerra

As Cebuano fans brace themselves for hosting the Philippine national men’s football team’s friendly match against Singapore, it turns out that one important detail is yet to be determined about the game: the date.

Cebu Football Association President Ricky Dakay told InterAKTV earlier that the Azkals match against Singapore is slated on November 16, but the Philippine Football Federation said a different date is scheduled for the friendly.

“It is November 15. That is the date set between PFF and FA Singapore,” PFF marketing and communications head Richard Joson told InterAKTV.

Dakay, however, insisted otherwise.

“They wanted November 16 as it is a Friday. It would have more spectators if the game is on Friday,” Dakay told InterAKTV.

But the PFF stood its ground on the November 15 date, saying that the schedule has been confirmed even by the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA as early as July 16.

“No request from any of these football bodies to change it and no official correspondence has been released nor received with another date from 15 Nov,” the PFF secretariat wrote in a text message forwarded by Joson to InterAKTV.

The scheduled friendly against Singapore in Cebu will be the last match of the Azkals before heading to Thailand for the 2012 ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup, in which they look to surpass their historic semifinal run in the tournament two years ago.

interaksyon

Azkals squad for ASEAN friendlies ?

Azkals squad for Asean tour ? Unofficial.

Marwin Angeles

Ian Araneta

Misagh Bahadoran

Emelio Caligdong

Jeffrey Christiaens

Ref Cuaresma

Jason de Jong

Robert Gier (TBC)

Andres Gonzales

Paul Mulders

Carlie de Murga

OJ Porteria

Patrick Reichelt

Jason Sabio

Eduard Sacapano

Denis Wolf

Demit Omphroy

Matthew Uy

James Younghusband

Phil Younghusband

Neil Etheridge (TBC)

Jerry Lucena

Aly Borromeo (injured ?)

Squad has not yet been released
Weiss will probably keep most of the players from the training camp in Chicago . Younghusbands will surely be going and some of the European based players. How many is not confirmed yet. Only Jerry Lucena has already confirmed that he will play against Cambodia and Singapore (not Laos) Not confirmed if Etheridge or Mûller will be going.

Philippines play Cambodia on 5. September , Singapore on 7 September and Laos on 10. September


Comments ?

Football field renovation on hold

By Cedelf P. Tupas
Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE MOVE to turn the historic Rizal Memorial Football Stadium field into an all-weather artificial pitch is on hold.

The Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Football Federation had signed a memorandum of agreement last month for the implementation of the project, but the thorny issue of who gets to control and manage the field is now being blamed as the reason for the impasse.

Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia yesterday said the government sports agency can’t relinquish control of the stadium as it remains public property.

The control and management of the facility, however, are among the provisions of the International Football Federation (Fifa) in granting the PFF’s proposal for Fifa Goal Project, which is worth $500,000.

“We cannot agree to the contract because Rizal Memorial is a public place and it is government property,” Garcia told the Inquirer. “We cannot just relinquish control (of the facility).”

The MOA signed by the PSC and the PFF, which would cover the next 25 years, actually included a profit-sharing scheme.
The PFF will get 60 percent and the PSC 40 percent from the gate receipts of all of the federation’s events held at the facility such as official matches and tuneup games of the national teams.

inquirer.net

2 new ‘friendlies’ added to Azkals tough sked

By Cedelf P. Tupas
Philippine Daily Inquirer


TWO more friendly matches against formidable international sides have been confirmed for the Philippine football team preparing for the AFF Suzuki Cup in Thailand.

The Azkals, who already have six matches lined up in September, will have two more tough assignments in the next two months, facing Kuwait on Oct. 16 and Singapore on Nov. 15 before they plunge into action in the Suzuki Cup in Bangkok from Nov. 24 to 31.

Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta said Kuwait has agreed to host the October friendly, which comes after a weeklong training camp in Manama, Bahrain.

Though nothing more than Fifa ranking points are at stake, the Azkals are still out to settle a score against Kuwait’s Al-Azraq, who booted them out of World Cup qualifying.

The Azkals lost 1-5 on aggregate, yielding 0-3 in Kuwait and 1-2 in the return leg in Manila in July last year.

The Azkals, who are coming off a two-week training camp in Chicago, will also face Bahrain on Oct. 12.

The match against Singapore on Nov. 15 will be staged in Cebu, marking the first time the Queen City of the South hosts an Azkals match.

It will actually be the second meeting between Singapore and the Philippines, which will also square off in a friendly in Singapore on Sept. 7.

The Azkals have five more matches in September, beginning with a duel with Cambodia on Sept. 5 in Phnom Penh and a showdown with Laos on Sept. 10 in Vientiane.

Veterans Phil and James Younghusband are expected to be back in the PH side after missing training camp in Chicago because of other commitments.

Phil, the top scorer of the AFC Challenge Cup last March, has reiterated his commitment to the national side.

“I’m very committed; I start training in a few days,” said Phil after scoring a hat trick for his squad in a 5-1 win over a team bannered by older brother James in a charity match Saturday night at the University of Makati field.

inquirer.net

Limpag: Cebu eyed as Challenge Cup host?

By Mike T. Limpag

Fair Play

Monday, August 27, 2012

TO MY non-Cebuano friends, perhaps you should start practicing these simple phrases, “Sa San Carlos bay…Metro ta ‘noy...usa ka set bay, kanang bugnaw.”
I had no idea when the inspection by the Philippine Football Federation officials for the Cebu City Sports Center field was supposed to be last Saturday, so, I just tried my luck and went there at 2 p.m.

I missed it, of course, but I got some juicy bits from the folks who were present during the inspection.
The field’s OK and needs just some minor adjustments. Ricky Ballesteros said they’ve also identified the designated dressing rooms, officials’ quarters and media room. I also suggested that instead of putting the media section at the grandstand, to put the reporters in the badminton area, just beyond the goal line since that could accommodate 200 reporters or more.
Unlike what I experienced at Rizal Memorial Stadium for the Kuwait vs. Philippines home game, the reporters won’t be crammed, everyone would have ample room, and a desk for their laptops. And for the nervous types, they can spend time puffing away their nervousness in the badminton court.
But that’s not the most interesting thing I heard that Saturday.
It seems they were inspecting the field not just for the Nov. 16 tournament but for an even bigger one.
“They also mentioned a bigger tournament, one week, not just one day,” Ballesteros said.
And I quickly assumed they briefly discussed the Paulino Alcantara Cup, which Bacolod will host next month. That tournament was offered to Cebu during the initial discussions that led to the Nov. 16 friendly, but that didn’t push through because of the limited time.
It turns out that “bigger tournament” wasn’t the Paulino Alcantara Cup, but, guess this, the Challenge Cup.
Yes sir, yes ma’am, the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup, the tournament where the Philippines won its first football medal.
“So the Nov. 16 game will serve as a test for the Challenge Cup hosting,” Ballesteros said.
Would it be for the qualifiers or the Challenge cup finals itself? Both of which, the PFF plans to bid on? I have no idea, but a four-team qualifiers could be the perfect next step for Cebu.
We have the Cebu City Sports Center field and the soon-to-be-finished University of San Carlos Football Stadium. Practice venues? No problem! We have the Don Bosco field in Liloan, the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu field and the Aboitiz Sports Field and all three are easy to secure.
Best of all, Cebu’s got all the hotels and there are direct international flights--our distinct advantages over Bacolod--and after the Nov. 16 game, I hope we can all say that we have the crowd support, too.
The CCSC field is perfect for visiting fans. Within a 20-minute walking distance of the venue, there are hotels and pension houses of all types--from the seedy ones, to the brand new ones, to the Crown towers. Take your pick.
And it’s Cebu, fans who want to do a lot of non-footie related activites before or after the game can have their fill.
So, my dear friends, please practice this—Sa San Carlos bay.. Metro ta ‘noy...usa ka set bay, kanang bugnaw.”
ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL. Here’s from Bobby Lozada, “Thanks to your inclusion of my e-mail in your column. Because of it, Joel Baring announced that UR8 will retain the same cutoff time 3:30 and it will be strictly enforced. I was in CDU (last Saturday) at 7 p.m. to hand my P10,000 check to the aide of Doc. Yong. After, I personally approached Doc. Yong and his wife, shook hands and I told Donna how I have for long admired her husband. Doc and I are from SHS-A. I love his cars, and I mentioned his Mustang Shelby GT, and his eyes lit up and explained it’s the best looking retro-Mustang and I agreed.”
(www.cebufootball.blogspot.com)

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on August 27, 2012.

NFL Finals today in Bacolod , Trimaxi FC win final

North Football League Finals in Bacolod today :

Final : Real Negrense 1-2 Trimaxi Agro FC


Third place : Ceres Transport FC 0-2 Dynamic Builders FC

Global Fc sign German

Global FC has signed midfielder Kevin Capolei from Germany

His previous club was TuS Sachsenhausen.

He is a friend of fil-German and Global FC player Patrick Reichelt

Transfermarkt

Team Phil routs Team James

Karl Decena, InterAKTV

Philippine football star Phil Younghusband edged his brother James in their first encounter against each other, firing three goals to carry Team Phil to a 5-1 victory over Team James in the CLEAR Dream Match Saturday night at the University of Makati.

The younger Younghusband scored the first goal of the match, finding the back of the net at the 18th minute to give his team the early lead.

Phil continued his rampage moments after, firing a goal from outside the box to put his team up 2-0 at the 22nd minute.

Ossenyou Diop then scored at the 42nd minute to cap the first half dominance of Team Phil, which grabbed a comfortable 3-0 cushion at the half.

Team James trimmed the lead at the start of the second half courtesy of a goal by its captain in the 62nd minute.

But Team Phil quickly countered as Yannick Tuason of Kaya FC scored at the 71st minute.

Phil then sealed the victory for his team after bagging a hat trick at extra time.

Despite starring in the match, Phil still lauded his teammates for the victory.

“We had a very good mixture of players who played very well,” Phil said.

James, meanwhile, remained proud of his team despite the loss.

“We still played well today. We kept fighting, but it wasn’t enough,” James said.

Apart from seeing celebrities and football stars play in the match, fans were also treated by a performance by singer Rico Blanco during the halftime break.

After the match, CLEAR handed awards to players who stood out in the charity match. Loyola Meralco Sparks player and Team Phil member Park Min Ho won the Most Valuable Player award, while teammate Saba Garmaroudi of Kaya bagged the Best Goalkeeper award.

Yves Ashime of Pachanga, also from Team Phil, bagged the Best Defender award, while teammate Eric Tai of Philippine Volcanoes got the People’s Choice award.

Team James player Mikko Mabanag of Ateneo football team, meanwhile, got the Best Midfielder award.

Proceeds of the celebrity football match go to Tuloy sa Don Bosco Foundation in Alabang.

Interaksyon

Clear Dream Match today : Team Phil 5-1 Team James

Clear Dream Match , a celebrity/charity match  between Team Phil Younghusband and Team James Younghusband will be played today at 8 pm at UMAK stadium, Manila

Live on AKTV .

Official livestream link


Team Phil : 
PYH, Ashime, Dorlas, Tuason, Saba, Armand, Park Minho, Cortina, Jung Byung Yeol, Anto Gonzalez, Diop

Team James : 
JYH, Durian, Rudy del Rosario, Romero, Bocobo, Cuaresma, Anton del Rosario, Burkey, Raymark Fernandez, Santiago, Batisla-Ong.


22 Min 1-0 Team Phil. Phil Younghusband
26 min 2-0 Team Phil. Phil Younghusband
37 min 3-0 Team Phil  Diop

3-0 HT

62 min 3-1 Team James, James Younghusband
71 min 4-1 Team Phil, Yannick Tuason

94 min 5-1 Team Phil. Phil Younghusband

Limpag: Will Cebu pass its Nov. 16 test?

By Mike T. Limpag

Fair Play

Friday, August 24, 2012

NOW that the Nov. 16 friendly between the Philippines and Singapore is final, the two most pressing questions for fans are these--how much will the tickets cost and where can I buy one?

As early as a month ago, when this story broke, some fans were already asking, “where can we get tickets?” while hoping that these won’t be that expensive.

I’m sure this will be one of the things the Cebu Football Association is considering and I am pretty confident that their concern will be filling the stands, rather than raking in the sales. For an event of this magnitude, I don’t think you recoup your investment through ticket sales, but through the stories of the fans and players who will travel all the way to Cebu and tell all their fans and friends how much they enjoyed it.

So how much should the tickets be? P1,000, P500, or P300? I don’t know, really, but what I hope the organizers would do is offer the more expensive tickets first, at least a month before the event. That way, folks who are not from Cebu--and, judging from experience, fans who travel are always the first to buy them--can secure the their tickets before booking their flights and hotels.

The sales of the expensive tickets, too, could be a gauge for the organizers to whether offer the rest of the seats at a cheaper rate or at the cheap rate they intended it to be.

For a couple of years now, fans have been hoping for an Azkals game here, “Sus kung sa Cebu pa ni giduwa,” and now that we have our chance, let’s not miss this for the world.

Remember the two “ifs” that Dan Palami said the other month.

If the hosting is a success and if the Azkals make the Suzuki Cup semifinals this December, we could host it. Besides, has work on the Rizal Memorial Stadium started?

By the way, it’s great to see the change of attitude the Cebu City Sports Center management has when it comes to the football field. I remember in 2000, while doing a story on how poorly-maintained and dangerous to players it was, I and a photographer did a walkthrough at high noon. We wanted to know how much crap we could gather in one walkthrough and there were plenty—pieces of glass, nails, barbecue stick, sharp rocks and metals and what-have-you.

Now, CCSC manager Ricky Ballesteros announced a couple of weeks ago that he wants the use of the field regulated. And that should be the case because we don’t want to become the city-without-a-pitch, again.

The Nov. 16 game will be Cebu’s test—not just the CFA’s or Cebu City’s—and I hope everybody will pitch in to make sure Cebu passes the test.

www.cebufootball.blogspot.com)

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on August 25, 2012.

Bacolod United, Jakalz post opening wins in VFL

By Jerome S. Galunan Jr.

Last season’s runner-up Bacolod United FC and Jakalz booked their first winson Saturday in the opener of the 2nd Visayas Football League (VFL)/Gov. Alfredo G. Marañon Jr. Cup at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City.

Bacolod United demolished Kabankalan City FC, 10-1 in Division 1 behind Jimuel Ariola, Carlo Tacusalme and Marcelo Desucatan’s pairs of goals.

Kabankalan FC had the first nodwith Paul Dionzon nailing the match’s first goal in the very 1st minute of the game for a 1-nil lead. But, striker Ariola opened Bacolod United’s scoring tally with a goal in the 3rd minute as Tacusalme sent two consecutive goals in the 11th and 15th minutes of the match whileDesucatan converted another in the 18th minute for a 4-1 advantage.

Eight minutes later, Joven Bedic joined Bacolod United scoring after hitting a goal in the 26th minute as Desucatan scored his second in the 36th minute and Jalsor Soriano scored the team’s seventh goal with one minute injury time to give his team a 7-1 lead at the break.

The southern squad tried to improve their offense and tightened their defense in the second half but it was not enough as the Bacolod United broke the lane for more goals in the later part of the match.

In the 74th minute, Ariola scored his second and his team’s eighth goal as Nicolas Kalalang and Gregg Gustilo nailed two goals in the 84th and 89th minutes to seal the win.

In the second match, Jakalz blasted Escalante City FC in Division 2, 5-1. Last year’s “Golden Boot Awardee” Jayme Poderoso led Jackalz alongside John Winston with pairs of goals.

Poderoso, as expected, played aggressive in the opening minutes of the match as he nailed his team’s first goal in the 17th minute to post 1-nil lead.

However, Daniel Ramos evened the match as he scored in the 36th minute to end the half at 1-goal apiece. Both squads tightened their respective defenses as they prevented any goal attempt from both ends.

But in the 54th minute, Michael Pacite stunned the Escalante back four as he sliced though the defense to nail Jackalz’s second goal. Ahead by a goal, Jackalz gained the momentum as Poderoso sent another goal in the 56th minute as the squad extended their lead at 3-1.

With the time winding up, John Winston scored two more goals in the 85th and 90th minute to end the match with 4 goals difference. A total of 19 teams are competing in two divisions of the 2ndVFL/Gov. Alfredo G. Marañon Jr. Cup.

Ten squads are competing in Division 1, led by reigning first runner-up Bacolod United, Sagay City FC, Real Negrense FC, Atletico Bago FC, Minuluan Talisay FC, Football Club de La Carlota, Don Bosco Alumni, Cadiz City FC and Kabankalan City FC.

Meanwhile, nine teams battle each other in Division 2, namely, Magallon United FC, Escalante City FC, Victorias City FC, Silver Dragon FC, Bank of Philippine Islands FC, Jakalz FC, Football Club de Bacolod and Bat-us./

WDJ

UFL - 2012/13 Season

FROM UFL :

URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT:


All clubs who are interested to participate in the 2012/13 UFL Football Season are requested to submit the following on or before Tuesday, 28 August 2012, to wit:


1) Letter of Intent - addressed to The Executive Committee of the United Football League

2) Club profile and background


Kindly note that there are only EIGHT (8) slots available for new clubs. Clubs will be evaluated and assessed by the Executive Committee and it (ExComm) will make the final selection of the EIGHT (8) clubs.


Kindly email the documents to uflphilippines@yahoo.com.

Negros Hermanas bags Girls U16 bootfest crown

By Jerome S. Galunan Jr.


The home-squad Negros Hermanas swept all its opponents to grab the crown in the just-concluded Girls’ U16 Invitational Football Tournament played August 20-21, at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City.
The Negros Hermanas booked its first win against Negros Oriental Football Association, 2-1, courtesy of Negrenses’ Johanna Martinez and Thea Claire Concepcion’s goals.
The Negrenses posted their second victory after defeating San Carlos City FC, 3-1, on the three goals from Michaela de Asis, before blasting Foundation University, 4-1, with De Asis scoring 2 goals, and shares from Chelo Marie Hodges and Johanna Martinez.
De Asis wasn’t done yet as she scored her sixth goal in the tournament to give Negros Hermanas its fourth on a 1-nil triumph over Rizal Football Association.
The Negros Hermanas is bannered by De Asis, Hodges, Concepcion, Martinez, Carmz Gaviola, Irish Navaja, Trixie Faith Jalbuena, Janna Lagman, Cathleen del Castillo, Mariane Ruiz, Tashka Lacson, Margie Centina, Maria Christine Duran, Jenelyn Cerbito, Angelica Suspene, Marielle Eusebio, Ivy Lopez and keeper Katherine Montelibano.
Meanwhile, a close camp of Top 30 Elite Team will be held on October 23, revealed National Girls U16 team manager Rafael Lizares. He added that players who will be selected from the recently-ended tourney will form part of the Philippine Girls U16 squad who will compete in the upcoming Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Girls’ U16 Qualifier on November 5 to 12 in Manila. The Philippines is grouped with the teams from Australia, Thailand and Myanmar./

WDJ

Dream match slated

Brothers James and Phil Younghusband become rivals as Clear Philippines holds the first-ever Clear Dream Match on Saturday at the University of Makati football field.
The match will feature some of the best players from the United Football League, members of the Philippine national team, some of the country’s best collegiate players, and celebrities.
The Clear Dream Match was launched last June 25. Fans chose from an all-star ballot of 60 players through the event’s Facebook page. The list was trimmed to 40 players who will form two teams that will meet for the Dream Match.
Each team will be captained by the Younghusband brothers.
Team Phil’s roster includeS Saba Gamaroudi (Kaya FC), Park Minho (Loyola Meralco Sparks), Yves Ashime (Pachanga FC), Roxy Dorlas (Loyola Meralco Sparks), Armand Del Rosario (Kaya FC), Eric Tai, Fabio Ide (Team Socceroo), Rafael Rosell, Paolo Bediones, Daniel Matsunaga (Team Socceroo), Tony Toni, Yannick Tuason, Davide Cortina (Loyola Meralco Sparks), Byeong Jeong Yeol (Loyola Meralco Sparks), Dexter Versario (Loyola Meralco Sparks), Janrick Soriano (Pachanga FC), Alvin Ocampo (Green Archers), Oussenyou Diop (Pachanga FC), Paulus Reyes (Team Socceroo) and Micheal Menzee.

Team James consists of Anton Del Rosario (Kaya FC), Nate Burkey (Kaya FC), Pat Bocobo (Green Archers), Jonah Romero (Kaya FC), Patrick Deyto (Green Archers), Rudy Del Rosario, Eric Dagroh (Kaya FC), Andrew Wolff, Marvin Kiefer, Jolo Durian, Jake Cuenca (Team Socceroo), Slick Rick, MikkoMabanag (Ateneo), Patrick Ozaeta (Loyola Meralco Sparks), Raymark Fernandez (Diliman FC), Ronald Ong (Pachanga), Andrew Santiago (Diliman FC), NicoBolzico (Kaya FC), Steven Silva (Team Socceroo) and Ref Cuaresma (Loyola Meralco Sparks).

Malaya

Phl to bid for AFC Challenge hosting

By Olmin Leyba

The Philippines wants to bring the AFC Challenge Cup – the tournament that served as venue for the Azkals’ milestone bronze medal last March – to local shores.
“We will bid for the hosting of one of the qualifying group stages of the Challenge Cup somewhere between the periods March 2-17, 2013,” Philippine Football Federation Nonong Araneta said yesterday.
The qualifiers will feature a bunch of four nations playing in a single round robin (league system) with the top two teams advancing to the Challenge Cup’s final round in 2014.
“And if we do qualify for the final, we will also bid to host it in 2014,” said Araneta.
The Azkals hope to take advantage of the homecourt edge to boost their chances in the bootfest among developing football nations, with the end goal of possibly reaching the 2015 Asian Cup. Champion of the 2014 Challenge Cup gets rewarded with a spot to the top-tier competition against the likes of reigning titlist Japan and powerhouses Australia and South Korea.
In the last Challenge Cup, the Azkals had to go through playoff for a place in the qualifying stage, beating Mongolia on aggregate, 3-2. They then placed second to Palestine in Group A to reach the final round in Nepal, where they surprised the field with victories over former champs India and Takijistan to advance to the semis.
After losing to Turkmenistan in the semis, the Pinoys beat Palestine for a rare podium finish for Phl football

philstar

Azkals get a new chance to size up Singaporeans

Written by BONG PEDRALVEZ

CEBUANO football fans will finally see the Philippine Azkals up close when the national team takes on the Singapore Lions for the third time in three years in an international friendly set on Nov. 16 at the Cebu City Sports Center football field in Cebu City.

“Singapore has confirmed to play the Azkals on Nov. 16 and it will be in Cebu City,” Philippine Football Federation president Mariano Araneta Jr. said yesterday, adding the match will be the last tune-up game of the Filipino booters before they swing into action in the AFF Suzuki Cup in late November.

It will mark the first time the national squad, which recently arrived from a two-week training camp in the United States, will play an international match outside of Iloilo, Bacolod and Manila. The match will be the first to be held in the Central Visayan province.

“The field (at the Cebu Sports Center) is at its best condition in years and if it needs rehabilitation, the Cebu Football Association under its new president, Ricky Dakay, is willing to spend for it,” Sun Star-Cebu sports editor Mike Limpag, an avid soccer enthusiast, said yesterday.

The game will be a rubber and grudge match between the two Southeast Asian squads, which have gone in opposite directions in the FIFA world ratings since they last met a year ago.

The Filipinos have risen to No. 150 in the latest world rankings while the Singaporeans have dipped 12 rungs lower at No. 162.

In an upset of sorts, the Azkals drew with the highly-fancied Tigers 1-1 on Chris Greatwich’s last-gasp second-half injury time header in the 2010 Suzuki Cup Group stage eliminations in Hanoi, a result that served as the springboard to their surprise semis finish in the event.

But Singapore avenged that defeat with a 0-2 drubbing of the Philippines in an international friendly played on its home turf last October.

The Azkals are in Group A of this year’s Suzuki Cup while the Tigers are in Group B.

Limited to just one game in their recent two-week training stint in the US, the Azkals will have a busy September, opening with a three-match friendly series on Sept. 5, 7 and 9 against Cambodia, Singapore and Laos in their respective capitals.

“The Azkals play Cambodia in Phnom Penh, then Singapore in Singapore, before winding up against Laos in Vientiane,” Araneta said.

After a two-week respite, the Nationals will see action in the four-nation Paulino Alcantara Cup in Bacolod, a tourney named after the Filipino mestizo striker who saw action for Spanish powerhouse Barcelona in the early 1900s, from Sept. 25 to 29.

They play Guam on Sept. 25, Macau on Sept. 27, before facing Chinese-Taipei on the last day of the event on Sept. 29.

October will see the Azkals continuing their build-up in the Middle East, highlighted by a friendly against Bahrain in the country’s capital of Manama on Oct. 12.

“I am still arranging for another Middle East national team to play the Philippines during their training camp there,” Araneta said.

Malaya

Ceres-La Salle FC to join UFL

By Jerome Galunan Jr.

Following years of successful stints in local football tournaments, the Ceres-La Salle Football Club is now determined to take another step into competitive football.

This is to join the country’s premier football league – the United Football League (UFL), confirmed Ramon Janeo, one of the team’s assistant coaches.

Janeo said that Philippine Football Federation Competition chairman Cyril Dofitas arrived in Bacolod City to inform the ball club about the tournament format they will undergo in next month’s UFL’s Qualifying Tournament.

Although complete tournament details are yet to be disclosed, Janeo revealed that this UFL Qualifying will most likely be similar to that of the PFF-Smart Men’s Championship.

Janeo said that like in the Men’s Championship, Ceres-La Salle FC will first compete in the Visayas elimination alongside Cebu, Leyte, Negors Oriental, and Iloilo.

The Top 2 teams in the Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao eliminations will advance in Stage 2 and mix up with the Top 6 squads of UFL Division 2 to form 12 teams. Then the Top 6 of Stage 2 will advance to Stage 3 and join the Top 10 of UFL’s Division 1 to form the 16 teams to compete in the UFL’s “Cup”.

Janeo said that if Ceres-La Salle FC plays good game in the tournament, the squad will earn a slot in UFL’s Division 2.
Ceres-La Salle will be managed by the Yanson siblings, Ricky and Leo Rey.

WDJ

Real Negrense vs. Trimaxi in NFL tournament finals

By Jerome S. Galunan Jr.

Nobody expected that Real Negrense and Trimaxi Football clubs will make it but both squads did and will forge a battle for pride in this year’s 2nd Conference Finals of the North Football League this Sunday, Aug. 26, at the Ayala North pitch.

Despite being the underdog going into the semis, Real Negrense was filled with so much desire for the crown as its booters stunned erstwhile tournament leader Dynamic Builders, 3-2, last Sunday.

The Builders were actually on top at the half, 1-nil on a goal from Michael Benedicto in the 24th minute. But Real came out as a better team in the second half as Michael Pacite equalized the board at 1-goal apiece, after sending the ball at the back of the net in the 45th minute.

Both clubs tried to nail a goal but the tight defense from both ends prevented the strikers to convert an attempt. Not until the veteran and playing coach Luis William Clauor drilled his way to break Dynamic’s defense for his team’s second goal in the 73rd minute.

Two minutes later, Dynamic’s skipper and striker Ali Rojas Go was quick enough to even the score, 2-all. However, on transmission, John Winston Valencia took advantage of Builders’ disarrayed defense as he sealed the match with a strike in the 76th minute and gave Real the victory.

Clauor said that everyone did their bests. “We overcome our problems. It was a sheer determination and effort of the team that made us won.”
Dynamic is a tough nut to crack but they committed errors at the back and we punished them. We are all enthusiastic and we made it to the finals, the playing coach further stressed.

On the other hand, Bes dela Noche of Trimaxi-Agro scored the match’s lone goal in the 58th minute to eliminate defending champion Ceres FC, 1-nil. Both clubs were held scoreless at the break.

Ceres battles Dynamic Builders for the third place on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. while the Real Negrense-Trimaxi championship match will start at 4:30 p,m./

WDJ

Guirado remains active as Azkal

MANILA, Philippines - Angel Guirado’s transfer to Indian side Salgaocar Sports Club may not necessarily mean he’s leaving the Philippine Azkals.
“Just like what we’re doing with players based in Europe, it’s a matter of communicating with his club and getting permission to release him for his Azkals duties,” said Philippine Football Fedeation (PFF) president Nonong Araneta.
Fil-Spanish Guirado signed a one-year deal with Federation Cup champ Salgaocar for the 2012-13 I-League competitions after playing for Global FC – the reigning league titlists in the United Football League that is chaired by Azkals manager Dan Palami. The I-League plays its season October through May, which runs smack into November’s AFF Suzuki Cup.
“Angel is a tall player with good physical presence and competent skills; he will give me lot of options as a striker,” Salgaocar head coach Karim Bencherifa said of the 6-foot-2 Azkals forward, as quoted by Goal.com’s report on the team’s announcement of Guirado’s acquisition over the weekend.
Guirado has yet to formalize his move to India, according to Araneta.
“So far, we haven’t seen a request of transfer,” said the PFF chief, referring to a requirement for all players playing in Phl to secure before heading elsewhere.
The Azkals are gearing up for the Suzuki Cup group stages in Bangkok in November. The Pinoy booters just wrapped up their training camp in the US and look forward to playing friendlies on the road against Cambodia (Sept. 5), Singapore (Sept. 9), and Laos (Sept. 10) and the four-nation Paulino Alcantara Cup in Bacolod against Guam (Sept. 25), Macau (Sept. 27) and Chinese-Taipei (Sept. 29).

A training camp in Bahrain from Oct. 8-18 is also in the pipeline with a match against the Bahraini national team set on Oct. 12 and a second friendly with another Middle East nation being arranged.

philstar

Crocodile FC blanks PTA

Tuesday, August 21, 2012
THE Davao Crocodile FC and the Instatech FC turned back their respective rivals in the resumption of the Davao Football Association (DFA) Men's 2nd Division Football Cup 2012 at the Tionko Football field.
Davao Crocodile FC blanked PTA Boys, 1-0, courtesy of a penalty goal from Mari Cabalfin in the 37th.

Instatech FC, meanwhile, zeroed in on the hapless Belisario Futbol, 2-0, behind the goals of Chungwoo Han in the 58th and 77th.
Solido Jr., for its part, defeated the winless Garelli FC, 3-2, for its first win in the bootfest organized by DFA under its president Edward Lam. (RPSA)

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on August 21, 2012.

PWC, UP-Min down rivals in Women's Open Football

Tuesday, August 21, 2012
THE Philippine Women's College (PWC) and University of the Philippines-Mindanao (UP-Min) downed their respective opponents in the Davao Football Association (DFA) Women's Open Football League that resumed Monday at the Tionko Football field.
PWC edged D' Davao Survivors (DDS), 3-2, to halt the latter's winning streak to three. DDS held an early lead courtesy of Ching Delos Reyes and Wowie Satorre, who scored goals in the 19th and 40th, respectively.

PWC, however, rallied back in the second half and went on to win the game behind the goals of July Anne Bunac (79th), Cherry Mae Vilchez (81st) and June Mae Bunac (87th).
UP-Min, meanwhile, turned back the Ateneo de Davao University-College (AdDU-College), 5-3, for its first victory.
The goal scorers for UP-Min were Princess Cuabo (42nd and 48th), Merlo Albano (31st), Glaiza Tabanao (7th) and Mace Ester Vilela (70th).
The AdDU-College was playing against SOS Children's Village while Medvil FC is facing UP-Min as of presstime.
The tournament is organized by DFA under its president Edward Lam. (RPSA)

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on August 22, 2012.

Leyte FA holds football festival in Palompon

MANILA, Philippines – Over 400 children registered and participated in the 4th Leyte Football Association (FA) Grassroots Course and Festival in Palompon, Leyte recently.
The 469 children aged 6-12 years old were taught the basics of football, including proper dribbling, passing and shooting.
Palompon is the fourth town visited by the Leyte FA, after Tacloban City, Burauen and Alang-alang. The group also plans to hold camps in Ormoc and Leyte-leyte.
In every town they visit, Leyte FA chooses 15 players who have the talent for football. These children are then sent to Metro Manila, where they can further hone their skills.
Leyte FA also recruited coaches to help in training the young footballers. -- Report from Geron Ponferrada, ABS-CBN News Tacloban.

New fil-Spanish for Azkals ?

Javier Patiño is playing for Cordoba CF and has scored 8 goals in 35 matches as forward for his club in Spanish Segunda division (div 2)

His mother is filipina.

Link Transfermarkt