Azkals

From Inquirer.net.

MANILA, Philippines – Chinese-Taipei dealt the Philippines a 4-1 beating Monday night as the hosts absorbed their second loss in the Asian Football Confederation Under-16 Group E qualifying tournament at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.

Still reeling from a 0-12 crushing to Japan last Saturday, the Filipinos yielded three first-half goals that all but wrapped up the victory for the Taiwanese, who got two goals from striker Lee Meng-che.

Allen Shane Belera scored a consolation goal for the Filipinos two minutes into added time in the second half.

“I told them before the game to keep on attacking and they responded well,” said RP coach Glenn Ramos, whose squad will face Indonesia Tuesday and Bangladesh on Friday.

“Hopefully, we will win in our remaining two games.”

The Japanese lead the group with six points, after posting a 6-0 rout of Bangladesh Monday night.

Only the top two teams from the group will qualify for the main tournament at a still undetermined venue next year.

AFTER three others got the chance this year, another Cebuano will get his shot at donning the RP football team’s colors.

University of San Carlos goalkeeper Paolo Pascual was invited to join the national training camp in Manila by goalkeeping coach Noel Marcaida and could see action for RP in the AFC U19 Championships in China next month.

“I like his attitude and he is also aggressive,” Marcaida told Sun.Star Cebu in an interview.

According to Marcaida, Pascual was recommended by his Palarong Pambansa teammates.

“He also has the height and if he just performs consistently in the training camp, he will have a chance to make the team,” said Marcaida.

If he makes it, the 5’11” Pascual will be the fourth Cebuano called up for national team duties this year.

Other Cebuanos who made it this year are Carmelo Genco for the Under 14, head coach Glenn Ramos and Christian Noel for the Under 16.

Pascual will be competing with three others for the starting keeper’s spot and has the slight edge because of his age.

“We also have a 6’1” keeper but he is still playing for the Under 16,” said Marcaida.

However, the coach said Pascual will have a lot of catching up to do since he will miss the first 12 days of camp. USC will still play in the semifinals of the the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. this Sunday, while the camp started yesterday.

Marcaida said that head coach Lloyd James Lim will make the final cut on Oct. 22 and a day later, the team will fly to Macau for a five-day camp and four tune-up games against local clubs before leaving for China on Oct. 29.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on October 2, 2009. By Mike Limpag