SIBLING rivalry takes on a new meaning in Cebu football when the football playing Veloso brothers take on each other in what promises to be an exciting men’s open final of the Aboitiz Football Cup, Cebu’s premier football tournament, at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Pomeroy Luke, the eldest of the three at 23, will join brother Pomeroy Mark in anchoring Don Sacredale’s initial finals stint against heavy favorites Leylam FC, which has the youngest of the three, Pomeroy John, 17, who is playing for Leylam.
“One more (sibling) and our parents could have completed the gospel,” said Mark, an HRDM graduate of the University of San Carlos in April this year.
Luke said “Pomeroy” is a name their father Carl liked so much that he decided to give the name to them all.
Though he is the middle child, Mark has the most experience when it comes to playing in the Aboitiz Cup finals as he played for USC for when it lost to Erco, 2-0, in last year’s finals. USC stunned then defending champion Leylam in the semifinal that year.
This year, now playing for Don Sacredale, Mark and the rest of the USC alumni of Don Sacredale ousted their former team to arrange a finals date against Leylam.
And thanks to their youngest brother, they got some inside info on Leylam.
“John told us to make sure that we mark Pinto Kalu, Marcus Kore and Ene Famous,” Luke said before adding, “But that’s pretty much obvious.”
Kalu and Kore both scored in Leylam’s 4-3 win over Makoto in the semifinals, while Famous had been known as a prolific scorer in local tournaments for years.
The two also said their youngest teased that their team—a combination of players from Don Bosco Technology Center, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu and Paref-Springdale—isn’t as good as Leylam.
“Ingun sya nga layo ra daw mi kaayo sa Leylam,” said Luke.
“Mao ugma, underdog gyud kaayo mi,” said Mark.
And John is right.
Boasting of a compact lineup that has consistently made the finals of the Aboitiz Cup for almost five years—except when it lost to USC in the semis last year—Leylam FC also practices regularly.
“We only have two practices per week and sometimes only eight people show up because some have jobs or classes,” Luke said during the interview at the Cebu Football Association office.
In fact, their youngest brother John missed the interview as he was practicing at the SHS-Ateneo de Cebu.
Aside from playing in the Men’s Open, John will also play in the Boys 18 final today for Ateneo against Don Bosco Boys Home, which is tipped as the favorite.
Both admit that if their brother, a defensive midfielder, gets utilized heavily in the 2 p.m. finals he might see limited minutes in the men’s open, which will be played some three hours later. But they’re hoping they get to play against their brother.
“Para makita ang katag,” Luke said. (So we will know who’s better)
As for their parents—Carl and Liza—they won’t be taking sides, yet.
“Mu-cheer daw sila sa maka-daug. Gi-sabot na daan,” they said.
And on Dec. 16, only one thing is for sure. A Veloso will be an Aboitiz Cup men’s open champion. ML