UFL champ to vie in AFC Pres Cup?

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Air Force Phoenix FC, the reigning United Football League (UFL) Cup champions led by Azkals Chieffy Caligdong and Ian Araneta, may get to compete in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President’s Cup, an annual international competition among clubs from “emerging nations” in Asia.

UFL president Randy Roxas said the UFL, which has recently concluded a successful Cup competition, is working things out with the Philippine Football Federation and the AFC for the possible participation of UFL’s League titlist to next year’s President’s Cup.

“The President’s Cup is where our ASEAN neighbors are also participating and it’s less stringent in terms of requirements, like stadium capacity so it’s the right tournament for us to compete in internationally,” Roxas said during yesterday’s PSA Forum.

The qualification stage for the President’s Cup, the third-tier club tourney under the AFC, is set by March 2012.

“Since our (UFL’s upcoming) League competitions will only end in June 2012, the likelihood is that we’ll ask the League champions last time, Air Force, to represent the UFL in the AFC President’s Cup. We’re waiting for clearance from the PFF and likewise the AFC,” Roxas said.

Caligdong’s PAF has ruled the two League competitions staged by the UFL and added the Cup jewel following a 2-0 disposal of Phil Younghusband and the Loyola Meralco Sparks before a good crowd of 6,000 over the weekend at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

“That was the first time for a domestic game to be watched by some 6,000 fans in the stadium. Goes to show that football is growing,” said Roxas, also noting the leap in terms of competitiveness.

“Clearly the level of play has improved, even on the part of the domestic players. As shown by Ian and Chieffy and the Air Force, local-bred players can pull their own against foreign-bred players,” Roxas added.

The UFL’s League hostilities will begin in January, featuring 10 teams in the first division, led by two-time defending champ PAF, former Cup holders Global, Kaya and Loyola, and another 10 sides in the second division.

source By Olmin Leyba |The Philippine Star

Read More

37-year-old Mercado anchors Air Force D

Tats Mercado, a former goalkeeper of the Philippine national team, proved that he still has it.

The efforts of the 37-year-old Mercado were the biggest difference for the Philippine Air Force Phoenix FC as it defeated the star-studded Loyola Meralco Sparks, 2-0, Saturday in the UFL Cup finals at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

Once upon a time, Mercado was the best goalkeeper in the country playing for the national team from 1995 to 2008.

But Mercado’s time came to pass when Neil Etheridge became the Azkals’ goalkeeper in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers.

“Sa amin, gusto kong patunyan na kaya namin kahit homegrown kaming lahat. Sa amin naman, gusto namin patunayan na ang Philippine Air Force ang number one sa buong Pilipinas,” said Mercado, a 15-year-campaigner for the Air Force, after the match.

They proved that the Airmen can still do it despite the entry of several Fil-foreign players particularly Azkals’ Phil and James Younghusband and the Hartmann’s in the Loyola Meralco Sparks line-up.

“Wala kaming kinakatakutan, maski Fil-foreign kayo o hindi basta kami totoong Pinoy kami,” said Mercado.

Air Force head coach Edzel Bracamonte also expressed the same sentiment.

“Before palang nagstart ang Cup at nakita ko ‘yung mga line-up, sinabi ko sa mga players na we are champions we have to train and play like champions kahit anong laki nila at anong lakas ng ibang teams,” said Bracamonte.

Mercado didn’t back down against even after the Sparks became more aggressive offensively in the second half.

“Based on experience lang ako. Sa isip ko, kung gusto niyong maka-goal, i-shoot mo sa akin at i-te-take ko lahat ng sipa at isasave ko nalang,” Mercado said.

Bracamonte felt relieved about the UFL Cup of the Air Force, its second title in the three years.

“Hindi lang tinik ang nabunot, bato pa. Thank you to Meralco for giving the fans a very good game,” Bracamonte said.

source | Reuben Terrado, InterAKTV

Read More

Air Force blanks Loyola to win UFL Cup

Offense won Philippine Air Force Phoenix games, but it was defense that won the Airmen the championship.

Air Force relied on a huge defensive effort anchored by goalkeeper Tats Mercado — and more than a little luck — to keep the sheets clean against the most dangerous offensive team in the tournament, en route to a 2-nil win over the Loyola Meralco Sparks in the championship match of the 2011 UFL Cup Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

The victory bolstered Air Force’s claim as the king of Philippine club football before a banner crowd of 6,000 fans. The defending league champions, the Airmen also avenged their championship loss in last year’s Cup finals to Global FC. It did so by shutting out a vaunted Loyola offense that did not score less than two goals all tournament long.

The Sparks controlled the ball for most of the first half, with Air Force finding the occasional shot at goal. Despite Loyola’s dominance, veteran Azkals striker Ian Araneta opened the scoring for Air Force in the 38th minute with a left-footed goal after fan favorite Chieffy Caligdong broke through the Sparks’ midfield coverage.

Loyola came out with renewed vigor in the second half. At the 52nd minute, James Younghusband headed in what looked like the game-tying goal for Loyola after a Mark Hartmann free kick, but the score was disallowed after the referee ruled that the latter had prematurely made his kick.

Loyola kept on the attack, but its shots were repulsed by Air Force led by Mercado, who did everything from saving goals, directing the Air Force defense, and even jawing with Loyola star Phil Younghusband. At the 84th minute, Loyola looked like it would finally put one on board after Mercado made a rare mistake after a Hartmann free kick, but Alexander Elnar’s attempt hit the crossbar.

While Loyola was trying to go for the equalizer, Air Force capitalized in the 90th minute, as a defensive breakdown by the Sparks allowed ageless veteran Yanti Barsales to score against an out of position goalkeeper Ref Cuarema to seal the championship.

It was a rough and tumble game that saw a total of nine yellow cards — five for Loyola and four for Air Force. Several scuffles involving teammates with the Philippine national team added color to the game.

The battle lines were clear prior to the match, as the two teams represented different sides of Philippine football. Air Force, composed wholly of homegrown players, have long ruled the Philippine club football scene, while Loyola, led by popular foreign-born Filipinos the Younghusbands, are coming off a very strong offseason build-up.

After the match, Mercado admitted that having an all-homegrown lineup was a point of pride for his club.

“Kami po ay all-Filipino, kaya proud kami. Wala kaming Fil-[foreigners]” said the burly goalkeeper. “Kami ang No. 1 football team sa Pilipinas!”

In the day’s earlier game, Global defeated Kaya to grab the third place trophy.

The two finalists also dominated the individual awards, with Barsales winning the Golden Ball award — the Cup’s equivalent of the most valuable player award. Mercado brought home the Golden Gloves award as the best goalkeeper in the tournament while Phil Younghusband won the tournament’s Golden Boot award for leading the competition in scoring with 25 goals. Barsales also took home the Healthway Agility award.

source | Jaemark Tordecilla, InterAKTV |

Read More