NEGROS Occidental and Iloilo earned the right to represent Western Visayas after winning the elementary and secondary boys football titles in the 2018 Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association Meet in Iloilo City.
The Noriel Revilla-mentored Negrense side dominated Iloilo, 6-1 (5-nil lead at half) behind the goals of King James Montano with three, Rodrigo Marinas III, with two, and Marjune Levi Badoy with a goal.
En route to the finals, Negros team blanked Capiz, 3-0.
In the secondary boys, Iloilo defended their crown by forfeiture over Negros Occidental after Department of Education Negros Occidental sports coordinator Romeo Sison confirmed the secondary boys’ football forfeiture in favor of the host team.
“The committee suspended Negros Occidental head coach [Ian Combate], assistant coach [Florence Panogaling] and the four players who were involved in a brawl incident on Wednesday. Football rule states that a team can’t play without a coach,” he said.
He denied rumors that the whole team was suspended.
The Negros and Iloilo championship match was stopped, with only 20 minutes gone in the first half and both sides scoreless, after the Negrense coach reportedly attacked national referee Steve Supresencia after a non-call on a contact between a Negros and an Iloilo player.
Supresencia admitted that he was a bit late in calling the foul because he was checking the situation.
“And, when I was about to make the call, I was bumped by one of the Negros coaches so I retaliated. Then their [Negros] goalkeeper came in and struck me on the face and the commotion started,” he said. As a result, the veteran Fifa official sustained lumps and lacerations on the mouth.
Disputing the referee's allegation, Combate claimed in an interview over RMN Iloilo that Supersencia head-butted him that's why he reacted and retaliated.
“He did not make a call on a hand ball. My player and I saw it. That's why I reacted. In our first game, also against Iloilo, his [Supersencia] calls were unfair and favored Iloilo. I just felt bad because we came here just to be treated like this. Maybe, it is better that the committee decided to let Iloilo represent instead,” he said.
Combate said that sometimes mistakes happen.
“But, what he [Supersencia] did was obviously unfair. What I was asking from him is to be fair enough. I respect him as Fifa ‘A’ referee,” he said, adding, that after the incident, they have already settled the issue.
“And for those who witnessed the game, I'm sorry that I did that. What happened was a result of emotions.”
Sison said they will discuss the incident during the Provincial Sports Council meeting to determine the necessary action and prevent the recurrence of these incidents.
In secondary girls’ futsal, Iloilo also defeated Negros, 2-1. (HGD)