Baguio UTD earns slot in Smart Club qualifiers

By Roderick Osis

Sunday, October 14, 2012


BAGUIO United leaned on the heroics of Mark Lusung in getting past its rivals to earn a seat in the Luzon Cluster A of the Smart Club Open on October 17-22 at the BSU football pitch.
Lusung scored two goals during the one day tournament of the Baguio City Football Association qualifying round recently held also at the BSU football grounds.

Cordillera Goshenland FC was the first victim in the list of Baguio United with a 2-0 score on a Lusung goal in the 37 minutes of the first half, which was opened by Friday Okoro’s goal earlier in the 20 minute mark.
Baguio United then edged out Benguet Alumni FC with a 2-1 count on another Lusung goal in the 176th minute mark and another goal by African Hopo in the 64th minute of the second half.
BSU Alumni earlier edged winless Cordillera Goshenland FC with a 1-0 goal courtesy of Ken Mendoza in the 28th minute mark of the ball game.
Baguio United was favored to win the qualifying after it reached the quarterfinals of last year’s national competition with bulk of the team still intact which includes United Football Players Mohammad Farah who played for Pachanga and Badherin Elhabbib.
“We hope Farah and Elhabbib will once again reinforce the midfield for us in the Luzon leg,” said BUFC’s Homer Alinsug.
BUFC, according to Alinsug will also be reinforced by strikers from Goshenland and BSU Alumni for the Luzon tournament which is expected to see tough opponents from NCR and Rizal.
The Smart National Club Championships will be held after the Luzon cluster where the top two teams will advance to the quarterfinal round along with the top 10 teams that are participating in the UFL Cup.
Teams will be playing in a single round-robin format with the top teams advancing to the regional eliminations then the top two teams advancing to the Round of 16, the start of the knockout stage, wherein they will be joined by the top 10 UFL teams.Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on October 15, 2012.