CFC Gentle Giants seeks redemption vs Manila Digger in PFL

Cebu Football Club’s Rintaro Hama celebrates his goal with teammate Kore Marius Kore. Photo by ZOOMINGLIF

CEBU CITY, Philippines— The CFC Gentle Giants continue to enjoy its long stretch of home games as they host the Manila Digger FC in the Philippines Football League (PFL) encounter, tomorrow, Saturday, February 22, at the Dynamic HERB-Borromeo Sports Complex.

However, there is more to it than just a home game. The Gentle Giants are reeling from their defeat against the visiting squad after losing to them, 0-1, last October at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.

Now that they have the home court advantage and the their football fans cheering at them, the CFC Gentle Giants are all geared up for the rematch.

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“Since our third match against ADT, we have consistently pushed our players to play with intensity. Manila Digger has quality attacking players, and this will be a great challenge for us,” said CFC’s new head coach, Tomasito “Glenn” Ramos.

Also, the CFC Gentle Giants are protecting their position at third place in the PFL standings after their second round surge from the fifth place at the start of the year.

They now have 20 points (6 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses) from back-to-back wins at home. They are closely pursued by One Taguig FC, which trails closely with 19 points (6-1-3). Meanwhile, Manila Digger holds second place with 24 points (8-0-2), just one point behind league leaders Kaya Iloilo FC (8-1-1, 25 points).

Ramos added the importance of execution, particularly in the attacking third, after the team struggled to convert chances in their previous home matches.

“We have been working on our finishing, aiming to score early. In our first two home games, we created chances but couldn’t capitalize, largely due to our opponents’ intensity in the opening half,” Ramos explained.

Despite the pressure, the CFC Gentle Giants have shown encouraging signs in training, with improved chemistry and tactical discipline.

“The players are communicating well, the passing combinations and ball possession are there. The key is understanding the game plan—not just for this match but for the remainder of the season. Our objective is clear: to win every game,” Ramos added.

As Cebu FC prepares for battle, Ramos remains confident in his squad’s ability to rise to the challenge.

“If the players fully grasp our system and strategy, I have no doubt they will fight—not just against Manila Digger, but against every team we face.”

In addition, it’s also the first home game for Cebuano striker Kintaro Miyagi, one of the pioneering players of CFC Gentle Giants who now suits up for Manila Digger. Joining him on the opposing side is fellow Cebuano Dean Ebarle who is also playing for Manila Digger.

The kickoff of this match is at 6 PM.