Global Cebu FC head coach Marjo Allado and Global FC player Patrick Deyto pose for photographers after yesterday’s press conference at the Golden Prince Hotel.
(CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
For Global Cebu FC s goal keeper Patrick Deyto, Cebu City holds a special place in his heart.
It was, afterall, in the Queen City of the South where he—as a rookie—showed a glimpse of his talent in April of 2014 when the Philippine Azkals played the Malaysia Tigers in a FIFA friendly match at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Up against one of the most lethal strikers in Southeast Asia in Safee Sali of Malaysia, Deyto pulled off a magical diving save on a late penalty kick to preserve a scoreless draw.
Today, Deyto will once again try to impress Cebuano football fans as he and the rest of the Global Cebu play their first home game in the Philippine Football League against Ceres Negros FC at the same field where he pulled off his heroics with the Azkals.
Game time is 7 p.m.
“Coming back to Cebu is something special for me because I had a very great performance here as an Azkal member,” said the 27-year-old Deyto in yesterday’s press conference at the Golden Prince Hotel.
Tonight’s match will be the first of 12 home matches for Global Cebu FC in the PFL. And Deyto believes playing at home will be huge for the team.
“Playing in front of your home crowd gives the team extra motivation and we want to utilize that advantage against Ceres,” he said.
Global Cebu is coming off a 2-2, draw against Kaya Makati FC last Sunday at the latter’s home pitch. The team is currently in third place in the standings with 14 points coming from four wins, two draws and two losses while Ceres is at fourth spot with 13 points off a 4-1-1 (win-loss-draw) record.
The Meralco Manila Sparks FC is leading the standings with 20 points (6-0-2) while JPV Marikina FC is at second with a 6-2-0 record.
Deyto was joined by Global Cebu head coach Marjo Allado during the presser. He said the team has prepared well for this game, especially since Ceres Negros beat them, 1-0, last June 6 at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.
“We are more focused now on Ceres. Everybody knows Ceres is the favorite. They are good at attacking and have good players,” Allado said.
Terrible pitch
While Global Cebu will be busy trying to find ways to beat its opponents, Ceres Negros head coach Risto Vidakovic said he is “talking about surviving the pitch rather than playing.”
Vidakovic complained about the “terrible” condition of the CCSC field during the press conference, saying it is in poor condition and, thus, poses danger to his players.
“I want my players to be safe. If we expose them to this kind of danger then we can’t compete on the highest level,” he said.
He said there are portions of the pitch which were not patched with grass and some portions with sand.
But Cebu Football Association (CFA) vice president Rico Navarro said the CCSC field is safe for play.
“We are confident that it will be safe for the players of both teams. We already talked with the PFL match commissioner and he said that everything’s going to be okay,” Navarro said.