ALL five tried and all five failed and the latest to fall was the defending champion.
The Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu kept its perfect record after ending its elimination round campaign in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) high school football competition with a 2-1 win over Don Bosco Technological Center (DBTC) at the Cebu City Sports Center.
The Magis Eagles, which last won the crown three years ago, finished the elimination round at 15 points on a 5-0 record. Most impressively, their defense only conceded once but not in open play.
“I’m very happy with the results. We did not target this but I’m lucky that the players really performed and they followed the game plan,” said SHS-Ateneo coach Oliver Colina, who took over the team officially just last May.
Leo Maquiling, a national youth team member, opened the hostilities with a left-footed effort in the third minute and DBTC answered with a shot by Rafael Gorre off a give-and-go with Kristi Ybañez. In the 11th, Maquiling started calibrating his right foot off a free kick, hitting just wide, while another looping set-piece from Musashi Ayabe to Christopher Osawa was tapped out. Ybañez also got his chance, getting past two defenders but with no support near him, a quickly-taken shot sailed harmlessly away.
But in the 22nd, there was no stopping Maquiling’s right foot. After getting a foul six yards beyond the box, Maquiling got the ball past the wall and had keeper Lance Alkuino looking as the ball hit the top bar and bounced into the goal.
Ateneo could have added another moments later but Ayabe’s low-shot forced a diving save and in the 35th, it was DBTC’s turn to rue a missed opportunity. Will Obedencio and Ybañez’s effort at left flank had beaten the keeper, leaving an open shot at goal but instead of simply tapping it in, the DBTC striker skied it.
The mistake proved costly as instead of a 1-1 score at half-time, DBTC would concede again.
Moments later, the DBTC defense brought down Osawa inside the box, prompting referee Archie Reyes to call the penalty. Maquiling stepped up again and beat Alkuino again.
DBTC finally got on the score sheet in the 66th after Rafael Gorre converted a penalty but it was already too late for the defending champion.
Meanwhile, in the second game, the University of San Jose-Recoletos blanked the University of San Carlos-Basic Education Department, 2-0, on goals by Angelo Colina in the 52nd and James VIllarin in the 79th minute. The University of Southern Philippines Foundation also bagged its first win, 3-0, against Sisters of Mary Boystown thanks to a hat trick by Luis Aguilas in the 21st, 32nd and 57th minutes.
USJ-R now sits firmly at second place on 10 points, while USC is stuck at third at six points. USPF is fourth at five points, while DBTC is fifth at four points. However, that could change as DBTC still has to play winless SMS Boystown on Tuesday. A DBTC win over Boystown would vault it to third place and a semifinal date with USJ-R. MTL