THE Magis Eagles have a teen version of the man of steel, and he’s wearing football boots. Playing in two semifinal matches in two divisions with only an hour’s rest in between, Christopher Ozawa struck twice to send the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu to the Boys 16 and Boys 18 finals of the AboitizLand Football Cup.
First up was the Boys 16 semifinals against the dangerous KNF-Don Bosco Boys Home and Ozawa, who had four goals in their last elimination round game in this division, struck in the 42nd to book the first finals seat. The Magis Eagles will face Abellana National School, which scored a massive 4-1 upset of Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC) A in the other semifinal match.
Undefeated in five games and having scored 18 goals while conceding none, DBTC A found ANS a tough nut to crack and Mark Lester Zafra needed only 16 minutes to shatter DBTC’s resolve for a quick 1-0 lead. Eleven minutes later, Zafra added another, while Francis Jay Vercide made it 3-0 in the 39th. Francis Yosores added another goal a minute from the half as DBTC found itself trailing, 4-0, after averaging five goals in the group stage.
Luoi Barro scored the lone goal for DBTC in the 55th but it was too late as they ran out of time.
On the other hand, the DBTC vs. ANS match allowed Ozawa some time off as he and a bunch of other U16 players, also had to suit up for their U18 team in their semis match against the undefeated University of San Jose-Recoletos.
USJ-R, which won all five games in the group stage, looks headed for another victory and took the lead in the 17th thanks to Jay Ian Alinsugay.
However, USJ-R’s leaky defense conceded two goals in the two-minute span--King Baclada in the 40th and Eric Balaga in the 42nd--and the Jaguars found themselves trailing for the first time.
In the second half, Ozawa suited up with the Jaguars pressing for an equalizer and after just 14 minutes, he gave the Eagles an insurance goal, 3-1. The prolific Justin Rey Ramirez managed to get on in the 69th but it was the closest the Jaguars could get.
Ateneo will take on DBTC in the final after the Bosconians broke the resolve of KNF-DBBH, 2-0. Vince Ybañez and Josh Asignar scored back to back in the 78th and 79th minutes to seal the win.
KNF-DBBH, which beat DBTC B for the semis spot last year, will have to settle for the battle for third, while Ateneo and DBTC, which played to a draw in the group stage, face off anew in the finals.
Meanwhile, it’s the turn of the Men’s Open Division A to see action on Feb. 23 at the CCSC.
Defending champion Leylam will face the University of Cebu in the first game at 10 a.m., while Don Sacredale will face Erco-Bro at 1 p.m. The USJ-R vs. Makoto match was cancelled after USJ-R confirmed it’s pullout in the division. (ML)