AFTER bagging six crowns in the 9th Sinulog Football Festival at the Cebu City Sports Center last Feb. 15 and 16, Leylam FC, Giuseppe FC and the University of San Jose-Recoletos Balamban turn their focus on the Thirsty Football Festival, which starts today still at CCSC.
USJ-R Balamban bagged the Mixed U7 and U9 divisions, beating Giuseppe both times to win the title.
On the other hand, Giuseppe got their titles in the Boys 15 and Boys 13 divisions. Gisueppe outlasted Abellana National School, 1-0, in the Boys 15 division and beat the Razkals in the Boys 13 division.
Leylam also bagged two crowns in the event, which was backed by Dakay Construction, Smart, CCLEX and Julies Bakeshop. Leylam, one of the top men’s open teams in Cebu, blanked Indiana Aerospace, 2-0, to win the division and added the Inter-Compnay crown with a 2-1 win over rival Erco FC.
Meanwhile, after the Sinulog Cup, Cebu football will focus on the Thirsty Football Cup, the longest running and biggest festival in Cebu that will be held on Feb. 22 to 24.
This year, 281 teams will be joining, 47 more than last year’s event. Almost half of the entries are from outside Cebu City with teams coming from Balamban, San Carlos City, Bohol, Dipolog, Bacolod, Roxas, Barili, Maguindanao, Maasin City, Himamaylan, Victorias City, San Juan, Davao, Ilo-ilo, Negros Occidental, Iligan City, Tacloban City, Mindanao, Badian, Alegria, Borongan, Camotes, Baybay, Surigao, and Northern Samar. The teams will compete in 14 divisions--under 7, under 9, under 11, boys under 13, boys under 15, girls under 15, boys under 17, girls under 17, boys under 19, girls under 19, Men’s Open, Women’s Open, Mixed Open, and above 40.
This year, Thirsty, in partnership with Philippine Accessible Disability Services Inc. (Pads), will be showcasing an exhibition amputee football match. Amputee football, though it has been growing worldwide, is still in its infancy stage in the Philippines and Thirsty wants to be the first to bring it to Cebu. The game will involve an all-amputee team from the Amputee Soccer Philippines against the Velez Football team. It will be played at 4 p.m. on Feb. 22. (ML WITH PR)