Cebu routs Leyte

FOLLOWING two heart-breaking losses in its first two games in the Philippine Football Federation Men’s National U19 Championship Visayas Qualifiers, the Cebu 19-Under Men’s squad bounced back nicely with 9-1 win over Leyte at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City.

Paref-Springdale’s Cedric Ang and University of San Carlos’ Dan Villarico led the offensive onslaught of the Cebuanos with three goals each. University of Southern Philippines Foundation’s Carlos Saballero, University of Cebu’s Miko Limalima and Moli Neri added a goal apiece.

Cebu 19-Under Men’s team coach Eleazar Toledo said that the win could boost the team’s morale going into its last match with Iloilo today. He believes that the first two matches could have gone either way but the opposing teams found loopholes in his team’s defense.

Cebu had two similar 2-1 unfortunate losses to home team Bacolod City and Dumaguete in its first two matches.

“The team is composed more of offensive players and not defensive players,” Toledo told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday. “We really had no preparation because I just saw the
team a day before we left.”

Toledo replaced Glenn Ramos for the coaching job because of the latter’s unavailability.

Toledo is optimistic of Cebu’s chances of landing the second place finish but it will depend on its crucial game with Iloilo today.

“We still have a chance to enter the top two if we beat Iloilo,” he said.


Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on April 29, 2011.