TALISAY CITY, Negros Occidental -- Golden Harvest FC boys of coach Greg Ramos were on fire in the first day of 3rd Nofa Cup U13 Invitational tournament beating the highly fancied Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC)-Cebu, 3-2 at the trimmed Sta. Maria football pitches just beside the famous “The Ruins” tourist attraction here.
But the Valencia City Bukidnon based kids could have moved forward in the winning table with a 2-0 slate but squandered a 1-0, lead in the first half to settle with a 1-1 draw over the Ateneo de Manila manned Blue Bros, in their second match.
Sam Salingay, a reinforcement from Rosevale School in Cagayan de Oro City played the match of his life, dishing one assist and scoring two goals to upset the Bosconians from Cebu City.
Salingay set up Jessie Levie Ramasola of Bukidnon Faith Christian School early in the first half with a lightning quick through pass that caught the Bosconian defenders off guard.
Ramasala then coolly flicked the ball to his right that was beyond the reach of DBTC’s goalie for the go ahead goal. Salingay then put the Valencia City kids 2-0 ahead at the bend when he booted in a booming free kick just outside of the box.
The Bosconians rallied in the second half as they scored two quick goals to equalize, 2-2. But Salingay, who is still fresh from Palarong Pambansa in Vigan where he led the Northern Mindanao to a fourth place finish, scored the winning goal late in the match to insure their victory.
Kirby Pepito also of BFCS scored the opening goal against the Blue Bros. for a 1-0 halftime lead. Joaquin Collo however equalized with an excellent volley just outside the box to frustrate the Valencia kids in a very thrilling match.
After the equalizer, the Blue’s Bros pushed for the winning goal. But Golden Harvest with team captain and central defender Vino Solidum holding on the Ateneo kids failed.
Salingay was left open in a counter attack and he went one-on-one with the Blue’s goalkeeper. He however squandered his chance to score the winning goal when his shot was stopped by the goalie just a second before the end game whistle.
The Valencia kids are playing NDTCGS Stallions as of press time. They will face a very strong LGU Barotac Nuevo in their fourth match and then Southridge in their last assignment before the quarterfinals.
Results of Day 1:
Group A
Zandifa Dipolog 4 vs 2 Bacong FC; O7 Eagles 1 vs 6 MARFA; Dynamic FC 6 vs 1 Barotac Nuevo FC; Bacong FC 1 vs 2 07 Eagles; Barotac Nuevo FC 12 vs 1 Zandifa Dipolog; MARFA 2 vs 11 Dynamic FC
Group B
Southridge 2 vs 6 LGU Barotac; NDTCGS Stallions 0 vs 5 Blue Brothers; Golden Harvest 3 vs 2 DBTC-Cebu; LGU Barotac 8 vs 0 NDTCGS Stallions; DBTC-Cebu 1 vs 1 Southridge; Blue Bros. 1 vs 1 Golden Harvest
Group C
NOSIRFA 4 vs 4 Green Global; Malaya FC 1 vs 8 Davao Grassroots; One La Salle 5 vs 0 Springdale; Green Global 8 vs 2 Malaya FC; Springdale 2 vs 2 Nosirfa; Davao Grassroots 0 vs 4 One La Salle
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