by Glendale G. Rosal
Reporter
The 12th edition of the Thirsty Football Cup, Cebu’s biggest football festival, came to a close last Sunday night with ERCO Bro Nationals besting 32 other teams to retain the men’s division crown at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).
ERCO Bro Nationals capped off another successful campaign when it downed We United FC, 2-0.
Last year’s champion team was composed of Korean players studying at the University of Cebu (UC). This year’s team was composed of local players.
ERCO Bro Nationals ended the group stage as the number one seed with five points. They faced Voltaire FC in the quarterfinals scored a 1-0 win. They then advanced to the championship round by beating Don Bosco Alumni in a penalty shootout, 3-12).
Dan Villarico of ERCO Bro Nationals went on to win the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
Aficionados de Futbol, on the other hand, topped the women’s open by nipping Chicos United, 2-0.
Aficionados de Futbol topped the group stage with six points and defeated AFC Ladies in the quarterfinals, 2-0. It advanced to the championship round by beating San Roque Football Club (SRFC) Team A, 1-0 in the semifinals.
Lanie Amistoso went on to bag the MVP accolade.
In the boys Under-15 division, Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC) Team A trounced Higala FC, 3-1, to win the crown.
After dominating the group stage with 12 points, DBTC Team A tripped Cebu International School (CIS), 1-0, in the quarterfinals then blanked San Carlos City, 2-0, in the semis.
In the U-15 distaff side, the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) emerged as the best team in the division after it dumped Real Galaxy FC, 3-0, in the final match.
SHS-AdC topped the group stage with 10 points. It battered Tacloban Pintados FC,7-0, in the semifinals.
Phl -U16 team member Arantza Marie Trebol led SHS-AdC bagged the MVP trophy.
The tournament attracted around 200 teams, including 28 visiting squads.