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Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Former coach on Pasinabo: He’s destined for greatness
Arnie Pasinabo’s bagging the coveted Most Valuable Player award in the just concluded Philippine Football Federation National Men’s Open championship didn’t come as a surprise to his former coach, Mario Ceniza.
“When he was still with us, we knew he was destined for greatness,” said Ceniza, who coached Pasinabo and other gifted youngsters in the vaunted Carmen National School team together with football guru Graeme Mackinnon.
Pasinabo got the MVP award after leading Bacolod City to a tough 2-1 win over the favored two-time defending champion National Capitol Region -- which was bannered by 12 Ilonggos -- in the championship match.
Aside from Pasinabo, other Bacolod players who got individual awards were Jayson Panhay (best midfielder), Joel Ballo-allo (best defender) and Archie Bayquin (best goalkeeper). NCR’s Ian Araneta, who is from Iloilo, prevented a sweep by taking the best striker award.
In the tough Iloilo-NCR match in the elimination round, Araneta scored the only goal against his hometeam -- which was coached by his father.
The 19-year-old Pasinabo, who also suited up for the country in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games (Seag), also blasted the game-winner in the second half, to avenge their team’s loss to NCR last year, 5-4 on a shoot-out.
“He (Pasinabo) is very quick, he has great skills and he has an excellent left foot. He reads the game very well,” said Ceniza.
Ceniza, who also played for the national champion M. Lhuillier in 1988 also in Iloilo, also feels very proud of Pasinabo’s achievement.
“He’s been invited to play in Manila numerous times, but he always declines,” he said.
On the other hand, Mackinnon said of Pasinabo, “He’s a very conscientious player and he gives 100 percent in all his practices.”
Mackinnon and Ceniza coached Pasinabo and the rest of the Carmen boys to numerous local and national titles.
However, in one of its biggest games, the Carmen boys came up short, losing the Coke-Go-For-Goal National Under-16 finals to Iloilo City, in Iloilo.
According to some observers, Pasinabo wasn’t playing well in the finals and seemed distracted.
“I am very excited for him. He has had a few demons from the past to exorcise and I am sure his performances in the Seag and now this MVP in the Nationals will go a long way in doing that.”
In one memorable Seag move, Pasinabo received the ball inside the RP team penalty box and dribbled past the opposing team all the way to the other goal -- missing his shot just by a few feet. (ML)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (March 1, 2006 issue)
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