Hat-trick hero Younghusband leads electrifying 10-goal romp by Meralco

• From: Karlo Sacamos

A Loyola Meralco side with a rejigged defense once again brandished its usual dominant offense as it walloped Cimarron, 10-0, on Tuesday night to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals of the United Football League Cup at the Emperador Stadium in Mckinley Hill.

Phil Younghusband registered a hat-trick, Chad Gould and James Younghusband fired a brace, while Lee Joo Young and Matthew Hartmann chipped in a goal apiece as the Sparks, who also benefited from an own goal from the opposition, arranged a last-eight meeting with Pachanga-Diliman.

While the offense has been humming, it’s the Sparks defense that has been a key factor in all their victories, including the 33-0 demolition of Blue Guards in the group stage, as they have yet to concede a goal in the tournament.

The arrival of quality defenders in Spaniard Joaco Cañas and African Sam Bonney as well as goalkeeper Baba Sampana has everything to do with that.

“Joaco and Sam have a good understanding with each other. But it’s not just the two of them. Baba (Sampana) has been good for us on goal and system-wise, I think we’ve been a little bit more disciplined than we used to,” Sparks coach Vince Santos said.

Their presence has given the Sparks the luxury to thrust centerback Gould up front as another scoring option, along with other new acquisition Lee, who all have made life easier for Phil Younghusband.

“We’re very fortunate to have them. But it’s also the defense. It all starts in the back,” Younghusband said. “Credit to our (defense that has produced) five clean sheets now and has given us confidence.”

James Younghusband opened the scoring four minutes into the game with a curling free kick of a beauty, before Cimarron scored an own goal six minutes later.

Gould then headed home a Hartmann cross, before Lee joined the scoring parade in the 20th. Phil Younghusband scored his first goal off another Hartmann assist in the 23rd, before Gould completed his brace off Phil five minutes before stoppage time.

The Sparks sustained their onslaught in the second half with Phil scoring off the rebound in 66th. After a handful of assists, Hartmann was at the receiving end of one in the 74th, before James and Phil Younghusband completed the rout with their respective conversions.

spin

UFL Cup - Tuesday

UFL Cup Round of 16

Tuesday at Emperador Stadium


Live on Aksyon Tv

Livestream :(only PH) : http://n5e.interaksyon.com/live/A12F20084A/live-aksyon-tv

5.15 pm : Air Force 1-0  (AET)  Kaya

Phil. Air Force FC Starting XI:Araneta,Ballo-Allo,Bela-Ong,Bulaquina,Dolloso,Leonora N., Leonora E., Martinez,Soriano,Tonog & Vergara

Kaya FC Starting XI: Alvarez, Baginski, Daniels, De Jong, Del Rosario A., Garmaroudi, Greatwich, Liauw, Mbata, Omura & Ugarte

FT: Phil. Air Force FC 1 - 0 Kaya FC Goal Scorer: Jimmy Vergara Jr. 104' (1st half of Extra Time)

Air Force Fc face winner of Green Archers vs Manila Jeepney in quarterfinal
---------------------------------------------
8.30 pm : Cimarron 0-10 Loyola

Cimarron FC Starting XI: De-Luis, Francisco, Jaucian, Leung, Liao, Liza, Mercader, Misa, Permanes, Rubio & Soltani

Loyola FC Starting XI: Bonney, Canas, Dorlas, Fadrigalan, Gould, Hartmann, Joo Young Lee, Won Hyung Lee, Sampana, JYH & PYH

FT: Cimarron FC 0 - 10 Loyola FC Goal Scorers: JYH-4' 77', Gould-16',40', JY Lee-20', PYH - 23'66'92', Hartmann - 74', (OG)De-Luis - 10'

Loyola  face Pachanga Diliman in quarterfinal

AFC: RP ready to host meet

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Shaikh Salman Ebrahim Hamad Al Khalifa said the Philippines will host next year’s AFC Challenge Cup “if something goes wrong in Maldives”.

Though there seems to be no indication of Maldives having issues with its organization leading up to Challenge Cup in May, Al Khalifa believes that the Philippine Football Federation is ready to take up the cudgels if such case occurs.

“The Philippines is the second option of something goes wrong in Maldives and I think, organization-
wise, the PFF is ready,” Al Khalifa said during his official visit in Manila.

The PFF lost in its bid to host next year’s Challenge Cup but the AFC rewarded the federation with the staging of one of the qualifiers last March at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Al Khalifa was also quick to praise the country for its progress it has done for the last two years that saw semifinal appearances of the Azkals in the AFF Suzuki Cup (twice) and the 2012 Challenge Cup along with the rise as the highest ranked nation in Southeast Asia.

“The Philippines has progressed a lot and hopefully (the country) will have more events, more let’s say football in the ASEAN region now that it is the highest ranked nation in the region so the future looks bright for the PFF,” he said. “

The PFF has been active the last few years and it’s important to have an active football association around Asia.”

Al Khalifa, however, was quick to point out that the “main issue will always face is the infrastructure in Manila regarding matches to be held.”

tempo

PHILIPPINES HOLD INDIA 1-1

By Nilanjan Datta,
AIFF Media Team

India (Sunil Chhetri – 43^rd)

d/w

Philippines 1 (Philip James Younghusband – 44^th)

SILIGURI: “I was speaking with my dad yesterday evening,” India National Team Captain Sunil Chhetri said prior to boarding the Team Bus.

“Did you watch Sachin Tendulkar bat at the Wakhhede in his 200 Test match,” he queried. “Look at him and the manner how he carries the expectations of the Nation every time he walked out. Despite having scored and scored, fans expect more from him. They stay ever hungry,” he told me.

On the lush-green Kanchenjunga Stadium with the towers glowing bright and the perfect pre-winter chill forcing all to pull their jackets, Sunil Chhetri touched Bhaichung Bhutia as India’s highest-ever goalscorer on 42 Goals. 15000 fans stayed witness and they will stay every hungry too.

Riding on Sunil Chhetri’s 42^nd International Goal India shared honours with Philippines in an FIFA International Friendly in Siliguri. The match ended 1-1.

Sunil Chhetri gave India the deserving lead in the 43^rd minute. Following one of Mehtab Hossain’s corner, he headed it in to bulge the net. The crowd went berserk.

But Philippines pulled it back off the next attack, in the 44^th minute, Philip James Younghusband clotting it past Karanjit Singh. The crowd went silent as both Teams went into the interval 1-1.

Apart from the goal, Sunil, served the perfect foil for Robin Singh playing upfront. He held onto the ball when needed, fell back and initiated with equal and great composure.

It was India who had the better of exchanges in the first half after starting on a positive note. Immediately after kick-off, they seized the momentum early and pushed Philippines to their own area. There were quick one-twos and Robin Singh seemed to be omnipresent in the rival area. His physique helped him to shield it as India built around him. Play was stretched to the wings flurry of attacks stayed even as Francis Fernandes and Clifford Miranda interchanged flanks.

Philippines slowly started to regroup and Bundesliga Club midfielder Markus Schrock who plays for Eintracht Frankfurt stayed the pivot. His class was unmistakable as he stayed the playmaker, feinting and essaying passes. In the 13th minute, his direct freekick hit the wall and bounced back.

But India were not to be subdued.  In the 21^st minute, Francis dummied past Christaens Jeffrey as he anticipated a Denzil Franco pass. But his cross narrowly missed an onrushing Robin Singh.

Five minutes later, Sunil ran down the left flank, cut in, only for his powerful shot to be blocked by rival Goalkeeper Richard Muller. Francis Fernandes tried to blast in the rebound but it sailed over.

India earned their first corner in the 28^th minute but Richard leaped high above all to collect Clifford’s curler.

Off the counter-attack, Philippines got their best chance from nowhere. One of the routine clearances hit Arnab Mondal on his back and suddenly Phillip James Younghusband found himself all in the clear. But the Indian defence recovered.

Off the next counter, India should have taken the lead. The tireless Clifford ran down the left and though a diving Sunil did meet his cross, it missed by a whisker.

Post resumption, Philippines were off the blocks faster and had even a goal disallowed in the 67^th minute for off-side. The understanding between the two Central defenders Aiborlang, the 475^th Footballer to play for India and Arnab Mondal, was laudable. Both were playing for the first-time ever in an International Match.

India countered fast and Sunil and Robin did interchange to keep the rivals guessing. But it was more confined to the midfield with none Teams able to break free.

In the 71^st minute, Clifford’s cross from the left was all addressed to an unmarked Robin but rival Captain Robert Gier came in from nowhere to intercept.

India made their first change in the 75^th minute when Jeje Lalpekhlua replaced Robin Singh. In the 80^th minute, Clifford made his way into the box breezing past a copule of rival defenders but Richard managed to keep his shot at bay.

Jeje missed the easiest chance of the day when, all in the clear, he headed over in injury time. It ended 1-1.

Meanwhile, prior to the kick-off, a minute’s silence was observed to pay respect to all who died in Typhoon Haiyan in Philippines.

aiff website

Today : India 1-1 Philippines

Today

India vs Philippines in Siliguri, India

Match start : 6 pm (India) , 9 pm Philippines

TV : NO

Livescore : www.futbol24.com

Tweetcasting : @amoy_ghoshal

Azkals squad :

1. AGUINALDO, AMANI MANUEL SANTOS (Global Fc)
2. ANGELES, MARWIN JANVER MALINAY (Global Fc)
3. BARBASO, JERRY I SARDUA (Global Fc)
4. CALIGDONG, EMELIO ASADA (Green Archers United)
5. CHRISTIAENS, JEFFFREY MALLEN (Global Fc)
6. DE JONG, JASON NICOLAS MARIA (Global Fc)
7. DEYTO, PATRICK PHILLIP BRAVO (Green Archers United)
8. GIER, ROBERT JAMES DAZO (Ascot United , England)
9. GREATWICH, CHRISTOPHER ROBERT BARBON (Kaya Fc)
10. GUIRADO, ANGEL ALDEGUER (Global Fc)
11. GUIRADO, JUAN LUIS ALDEGUER (Burgos , Spain)
12. HARTMANN, MARK ANDREW (Gklobal Fc)
13. JONSSON, RAY ANTHONY PEPITO (Grindavik, Iceland)
14. LUCENA, JERRY RUBEN (Esbjerg, Denmark)
15. PORTERIA, JOSE ELMER (Kaya Fc)
16. REICHELT, PATRICK ALCALA (Singhtarua, Thailand)
17. SACAPANO, EDUARD ORTALLA (Global Fc)
18. YOUNGHUSBAND, JAMES JOSEPH PLACER (Loyola Fc)
19. YOUNGHUSBAND, PHILIP JAMES PLACER (Loyola Fc)
20. SCHRÖCK , STEPHAN (Eintracht Frankfurt , Germany)
21. MÜLLER, ROLAND (Servette Fc, Switzerland)

Phillippines XI :Muller; Ray Jonsson, Gier, Guirado, Christiaens; J Younghusband,Lucena, Chris Greatwich, Schrock; A Guirado, P Younghusband

Ceres runs riot with seven goals to join Stallion in UFL Cup quarterfinals

• From: Karlo Sacamos

Ceres-La Salle bucked a sluggish start to overwhelm Agila FC, 7-2, on Thursday night and earn a place in the quarterfinals of the United Football League Cup at the Emperador Stadium in Mckinley Hill.
The reigning National Club champions from Bacolod went behind early before leaning on a second-half surge to arrange a quarterfinal meeting with Union Internacionale Manila, which beat General Trias International, 4-1, in their own Round-of-16 match last Tuesday.
“It’s uncharacteristic for us to start very slow in the first half,” said Ceres manager Ali Go, who blamed the sluggish opening to lack of warm-up time given by UFL officials.
“They gave us only twenty to twenty five minutes of warm-up,” Go said. “For a football match, that’s a lack of time for warm-ups.”
Jason Panhay shone brightest with a brace, including a neat free kick conversion that knotted the count at 2-all late in the first half.
“Siya ang free kick specialist talaga namin,” Go said of the 26-year-old San Carlos City native.
Ceres, made up of a mix of Koreans, Africans, and Filipinos, never looked back from there, scoring five more goals in the second half to pull away.
Aside from Panhay, Younousse Yaogo, Kim Jin Ho, Joshua Beloya, and Hwaseo Park scored for Ceres, while Alvin Perez scored an own goal for Agila.
Beloya, an Azkal, converted right in the first possession after coming in late in the second half, scoring on a volley into an empty goal.
Defending champion Stallion likewise clinched a round-of-eight slot after blanking Cebu Queen City United, 2-0, in the first game.
Skipper Balot Doctora and Bo Bae Park found the back of the net in the first half for the Stallions, who now await the winner between second seed Global and 15^th seed Philippine Navy.

spin

Queen City battles Stallion today

By Edri K. Aznar

Thursday, November 14, 2013

CEBU Queen City United (CQCU) will shoot for a spot in the quarterfinals
 against defending 
champions Stallion FC (SFC) in the round of 16 of the United Football
 League (UFL) Cup at the Emperador Stadium in Bonifacio 
Global City today.

CQCU shocked Stallion, 4-1, in the UFL Cup Group stage.

“If we show the same mentality against them in the previous meeting,
 then we will never go wrong,” he said.

CQCU, which is sporting a different lineup barged into the UFL Cup
 with an impressive win over Philippine Air Force (PAF), 3-0. 
However, the Cebuanos were inconsistent and drew with 
Bright Star FC, 2-2,and then a win over SFC in their following match.

Poised to become Group C leaders, CQCU lost to winless Agila FC (AFC), 
1-0, in the last group stage match to just finish second behind SFC.

“We are working on the psychological aspect of our team. Overcome 
our problems especially with what has been happening the past
few days,” said Ceniza,referring to the recent disaster that hit Cebu.

The CQCU vs. SFC match will be aired on AKTV at 5:15 p.m. 
and will be followed by the match between Ceres-La Salle FC and AFC 
at 8 p.m.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on November 14, 2013.

Fil-Germans boost Azkals vs Indians

By Olmin Leyba

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Azkals will welcome back to its fold Fil-Germans Stephan Schrock and Roland Muller when they hit the pitch for their next international friendly against India on Friday in Chennai.

“Schrock and Muller will be in India,” said Philippine Football Federation president Nonong Araneta.

Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt’s Schrock, the versatile midfielder  who led the Azkals to victory in the Philippine Peace Cup in Bacolod, and Swiss club Servette FC’s Muller, the 5-foot-11 goalkeeper who last saw action in the AFC Challenge Cup qualifications, will link up with Phl XI  after missing the friendly against United Arab Emirates.

The Azkals yielded a 0-4 setback to a high quality UAE side Saturday night in Abu Dhabi but they expect to use this as a learning experience as they continue their buildup for the final round of the Challenge Cup in Maldives in May 2014.

Araneta said they decided to set just one Fifa A match for the Pinoy booters during the period Nov. 15-19, the last international match days in Fifa’s 2013 calendar.

“We did not arrange another friendly on Nov. 19 so that the players can return to their clubs in the UFL. We have to support local competition, too,” said the PFF boss, also thankful to the UFL for releasing the players in the friendly against UAE even though it did not fall on a Fifa friendly date.

The Azkals will be dedicating the India match to victims of super typhoon Yolanda and other recent tragedies that struck the country. Team manager Dan Palami is from Tacloban.

Their supporters have set a  fundraising activity coinciding with the friendly at Mercato Bonifacio Global City. Donations will be accepted at the venue from 4 p.m. Friday until 3 a.m. the next day.

Meanwhile, officials have revised the grouping and scheduling of men’s football competition of the 27th Southeast Asian Games after getting formal notification that Phl’s U-23 side is not taking part.

Last week, Phl was “mistakenly” included in the draw apparently as a result of communication snafu. Yesterday, a new grouping minus Phl was released with defending champion Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Laos and Brunei making up the new Group A.

philstar