With only three days remaining before the Loyola Meralco Sparks play their opener against Ceres-La Salle, the club’s supporters can expect quite a few new faces take the field. A total of 11 players have been added to the roster: two goalkeepers, one defender, five midfielders, and three forwards. Eight of the new players are Filipino recruits, while three hail from either Japan or Spain.
While Jason de Jong, a UFL Cup and League champion, and Philippine National Team player, is the most high profile of the new signings, the Sparks have also injected plenty of other young Filipino talent to the squad.
There is a new University of the Philippines influence on the team, with four of the new players still involved with the school: Daniel Gadia, Ian Clarino, Ace Villanueva, and the returning Anto Gonzales, who coaches the team. Jinggoy Valmayor is the fifth of the UP boys, having just recently ended his collegiate career with the Fighting Maroons.
Arnel Amita of FEU represents another collegiate standout, while Filipino-Japanese teenager Kouchi Belgira adds more young talent to the squad.
Meanwhile, Spanish forward Alvaro Castiella, Japanese midfielder Akira Miyayama, and Japanese-Brazilian Guilherme Hasegawa round out the last of the new faces.
Here’s a complete list of new recruits for the upcoming 2016 UFL Cup:
1. Guilherme Hasegawa (Japanese) – Goalkeeper
2. Ace Villanueva (Filipino) – Goalkeeper
3. Ian Clarino (Filipino) – Defender
4. Jason de Jong (Filipino) – Midfielder
5. Anto Gonzales (Filipino) – Midfielder
6. Arnel Amita (Filipino) – Midfielder
7. Akira Miyayama (Japanese) – Midfielder
8. Kouchi Belgira (Filipino) – Midfielder
9. Daniel Gadia (Filipino) – Forward / Midfielder
10. Jinggoy Valmayor (Filipino) – Forward
11. Alvaro Castiella (Spanish) – Forward
http://onemeralcosports.com/loyola-sparks/11-new-faces-bolster-sparks-in-upcoming-ufl-cup/
KOREA DPR ARE #U17WWC CHAMPIONS! 🇰🇵🏆
12 hours ago
A team worth supporting as they are looking like they are interested in developing the local players and scene.
ReplyDeleteace villanueva had a poor showing in the sea games. take care.
ReplyDeleteIto dapat ang kailangan ng Philippine Football - develop our own talents is the priority at makakahatak pa ito ng mga fans dahil dito sila ipinanganak, lumaki at pinag aral. Sana may limit din sa foreign born players at dapat lima lng din kada team.
ReplyDeleteYes. Loyola is the way to football development.
DeleteEven if the do not win a single game, will continue to support them.
Screw you CERES, GLOBAL..
Yung Global at Ceres is becoming more and more of a Foreign line ups. Dalawa hanggang sa tatlo nlng ang starter na homegrown sa Global while itong Ceres si Casas nlng natira lahat fil foreign born na.
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