It’s a fantastic fourth for USC

NOT ME. Coach Allan Medalla runs away before his players could pour water on him during USC’s celebration of its fourth straight Cesafi football title. (SunStar foto / Arni Aclao)
NOT ME. Coach Allan Medalla runs away before his players could pour water on him during USC’s celebration of its fourth straight Cesafi football title. (SunStar foto / Arni Aclao)

THE University of San Carlos (USC) tied a Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) record by winning its fourth straight football title at the Cebu City Sports Center on Sunday, Nov. 18.

USC defeated the University of the Visayas (UV), 1-0, a scoreline that flattered the 2005 champion as it was out-paced and out-played from all angles for most of the match.

And the goal resulted from another coaching move from Allan Medalla, whose timely substitution last year also led to their three-peat.

Facing a UV squad that it dominated possession-wise but lost, 1-0, in the second round, USC was all business from the get-go, controlling the midfield to poke holes at the UV defense at will.

Steven Patalinghug, who was named the Best Midfielder, had three chances in the first 10 minutes--he hit the sidenetting, and forced Kim Omus to a save and missed just inside the box.

UV also had its chance, with a shot off a corner that was just high. But moments later, a header inside the box off a corner earned another save from Omus, who would eventually win the best keeper award.

Such was USC’s dominance in the first half that Omus tried to stall for time, keeping the ball in his box until a USC player approached, a tactic usually done by a team that is leading.

Angelo Ouano, back after serving a one-game suspension for a red card, tried his luck from a distance but the ball was just high, while Paul Carizon’s free header off a corner also missed.

Christian Keen Agot, who was named the MVP, tried his luck from outside the box but also missed while Kenneth Archival also fired a shot for UV but failed to get past Terrence Colmenares.

In the second half, it was all USC and a timely substitution finally ended the deadlock. Nathaniel Buca’s solo effort got him a shot inside the box but his attempt had him cramping and Medalla called in Pietre Dakay to take his place.

Dakay, who stands almost a head taller than the UV defense, immediately made his presence felt. Ouano got the ball from midfield and as Dakay ran inside the box, he drew in the UV defenders, leaving Pyke Tinoy open, who controlled Ouano’s sublime pass and banged it in past a hapless Omus.

Despite getting a goal down, UV didn’t give up and tried to push for an equalizer but they couldn’t convert on their set pieces, while Kenneth Vargas, who won the Golden Boot for tallying six goals, couldn’t conjure a goal as the USC defenders bullied him every time he had the ball. (MTL)

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