REIGNING Aboitiz Football Cup men’s open champion Leylam Football Club will test their mettle in foreign soil as they will vie in the Saigon 7’s Cup this weekend in Saigon, Vietnam.
The team is set to fly to Vietnam today.
Leylam, which finished first-runner up in the tournament’s plate division last year, will go up against Nigerian, British, Australian and Vietnamese football teams.
Their participation in this tournament is part of the team’s preparation for their their title retention bid in the 18th Aboitiz Football Cup.
The team, composed of former varsity players in Cebu who are also employees of Leylam Shawarma owned by Ugur Tasci, has competed in several national and international tournaments already. Its biggest achievement so far was when it toppled down the heavily favored ERCO-BRO Green Archers United (GAU) in the championship match of last year’s Aboitiz Football Cup.
The team will be made up of Rene Sanchez Jr., Jason Domagtoy, Evren, Baris, Ugur and Cem Tasci, Ruffy Llorente, Michael Pacite, Harris Segovia, Abelardo Salinas and Ranulfo Colina. The head coach is Oliver Colina.
After this tournament, the team will compete in the Alaska Cup 7-aside tournament in Manila on Nov. 26 and 27.