USC, UC stun favorites in Cesafi football

THE University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) and the University of Cebu (UC) surprised the favorites to share the lead after the second week of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. football tournament at the Cebu City Sports Center.

USJ-R blanked defending champion University of San Carlos (USC), 2-0, while UC beat the University of Southern Philippines-Foundation, 3-1, to improve to 4 points.

Rikko de Guzman caught the sleeping USC defense by surprise in the seventh minute for the first goal and Harry Bordalba could have made it 2-0 but he hesitated in a one-one-one situation and got stripped by John Daniel Caballero.

In the 25th, coach Joselito Bono pulled out Bordalba, who was yellow-carded for his rough play.

USC kept pushing for the equalizer but their best effort in the second half was a free kick by Karl Arcenas that went straight to the keeper.

And in the 64th minute, Edmar Maderelijo, who hit wide in an earlier attempt, made the defending champions pay as he collected on Agapito Baclaan’s pass to make it 2-0.

“Katong first game kay nag adjust pa ang players but nausab na sila karong duwa. Naa nay ball control ug positioning,” said Bono, whose team drew USPF, 0-0, last Aug. 19.

In the second game, UC pulled a come-from-behind victory against USPF after scoring three goals in the final 15 minutes.

A penalty by Aljon Armamento in the 64th gave USPF the lead but UC’s Nerie Mole got the equalizer in the 76th.

Axel Jake Parel used his speed at the left flank a few minutes later to make it 2-1, and skipper Christian Vasquez banged in the dagger with an injury-time goal.