Host team University of St. La Salle and Foundation University of Dumaguete started their campaign with dominating wins against their respective opponents as the 1st Carlos O. Cojuangco National Football Invitational kicked off in Bago City and Panaad Stadium yesterday.

National players Arnie Pasinabo and Floriano Pasilan struck a goal each to power USLS past CPU, 4-1, at the Panaad pitch while Foundation University beat University of Mindanao in first game in Bago, 4-2.

Fresh from their AFC Challenge cup stint, Pasilan and Pasinabo boosted USLS’ stock with second half goals. Miguel Gonzales opened the scoring in 5th minute before substitute Gerard Pacquiao made another goal in the 69th.

Trying to get past USLS’ defense, CPU got a break in the 80th with Richard Sornito scoring for CPU but Pasinabo’s goal in the 85th and Pasilan’s marker in the 90th sealed the victory for La Salle.

In the first game in Bago, FU dominated the first half of play against UM with Michael Denson Tulang scoring back-to-back goals in the 13th and 28th while Alexandro Elmar found his mark in the 32nd to make it 3-0. Jerome Ferdinand Balaya’s marker in the 38th was the only bright spot in UM’s first half campaign.

As the play resumes in the second half, both squads defended well by Rey Anthony Ello got away in the 79th to score FU’s fourth goal which lessened the impact of UM’s second goal courtesy of Jason Montillero in the 8th minute.

Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Football Association president Charlie Cojuangco said that more local tournaments are lined up to boost the stock of Negrense football talents.

Although the Philippine Football Federation has been unsupportive of the locally-initiated COC Cup, he assured the public that AFF and AFC standards are being followed and he has utmost confidence in the people who made all the preparations which, he said, can equal what PFF did in Iloilo during the AFC Challenge Cup recently.

Top two teams in the COC Cup will advance into the championship on Saturday with the winner taking home P100,000 cash and trophy while the bottom two teams will battle for third place.*NAB

back to top