Negros Occidental and Team Biscocho Haus-Iloilo rekindle their bittersweet rivalry today when they clash for a finals seat in the PFF-National Men's Open Championships at the ballfield of Barotac Nuevo town.

Defending champion National Capital Region battles newcomer Northern Cotabato, shortly after the 1:30 p.m. encounter between the regional rivals.

Negros coach Freddie Lazarito said he wants his to battle Iloilo for a place in the finals.

"We would rather face Iloilo in the semis. It has a weaker line-up than NCR," Lazarito said, stressing that his team has yet to play true to form despite posting a sweep of its group matches.

Iloilo, however, would be tougher than expected, coach Lurex Araneta said. For one, the Ilonggos are expected to come out with more firepower after losing to NCR, 0-1, with Ian Araneta, a product of the grassroots program of this town, coming up with the game-winner in the 70th minute.

"The loss toughened the team," the Iloilo coach said, adding that his team is getting used to rising above adversities, citing their first game, where seven key players bucked dehydration to combine for a 5-0 win over Iligan.

One thing going for the Ilonggos is the overwhelming crowd support here that also carried them to a come-from-behind 5-2 win over Baguio Wednesday.

The game also puts brothers Ziggy and Jezurel Tonog on opposite sides. Ziggy, the younger of the two brothers, had been anchoring his team's defense in the eliminations, while Jezurel plays midfield. Negros is actually the last team to have won the national title, before NCR claimed back-to-back crowns in Manila and Cagayan de Oro City, respectively.

Regarded as the tournament's surprise package, Northern Cotabato posted two wins in the eliminations, before losing the Group A plum to Negros, while NCR rampaged to an impressive 4-1 win over Baguio and whitewashed Iligan, 10-0. *CPT

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