RISING Sun and Chico United ruled the Cebu leg of the Philippine Futsal Cup Winners Cup yesterday at Metrosports,Lahug.
The all-Japanese team Rising Sun beat sister team Burning Sun, 5-3, on penalties to rule the men’s division, while the Cagayan de Oro-based Chico United overpowered Don Bosco Football Club, 3-1, to rule the women’s open.
Both teams qualified to the national finals in November where they will face winners of the other legs.
However, Rising Sun member Hayato Ayabe said they may not be able to send their team to the national finals because of lack of funds and will instead form a selection team of Cebu-based players, to be led by the champion team, for the nationals.
In the elimination round, despite not having a designated goalkeeper, Rising Sun finished undefeated with a 3-1 win over Boys Home and a 6-1 rout over Joker’s Arms.
On the other hand, the Burning Sun, which like the Rising Sun are manned by players of the Japanese-owned Crazy Horse Club, beat Cebu Eagles, 3-1, and LO, 7-1.
The seventh leg of the year-long futsal tournament gathered 12 teams in the men’s division, including new teams LO, NCR and Homeboys, manned mostly by players from the BPO industry, and six teams in the women’s.
For this tournament, local organizer Chris Oon modified the rules to avoid automatic elimination for the lowest ranked teams in the group.
All the teams who finished at the bottom played in a plate semis, which were considered wildcard matches.
Oon also encouraged the BPO teams to join the men’s open 11-a-side tournaments aside from the futsal tournament to boost their team.
“It would be a good experience for them to play with the other teams,” said Oon, who is also planning to organize a BPO football tournament.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on August 28, 2011
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