Philippines set to hold first AFF Women’s Futsal Championships

c/o Philippine Football Federation

The Philippine Women's Futsal Team has kept themselves busy even with its relative anonymity compared to other sports.

Thanks to the support from the Philippine Football Federation, as well as the Henry Moran Foundation, a pool of players have been training at the Inspire Sports Academy in Laguna, which has since been boosted by the arrival of Vic Hermans as their head coach.

The Dutch futsal coaching legend has guided three countries into the FIFA Futsal World Cup, and is set to lead our Filipinas into play as the hosts for the inaugural edition of the FIFA Women's Futsal World Cup next year.

Fresh from their second-place finish at the PFF Tri-Nations Cup last year, they are ready for the next step of preparations after locking in an automatic berth for next year.

To help get the team ready, the Philippines will be hosting the inaugural AFF Women's Futsal Championship, which will take place at the Philsports Arena on November 16-21.

Said competition is a five-team tournament involving three of the top 25 teams in the FIFA Women's Futsal rankings.

Thailand is sixth overall, followed by Vietnam at eleventh and Indonesia at 24th. Capping the field is Myanmar at 37th.

Ranked 59th, the Philippines will kick off its participation against Myanmar on Opening Day. They follow that with their matchup against Thailand on the 17th.

After the bye, they will proceed to face off against Vietnam on the 19th, and cap off the round robin against Indonesia on the 20th.

All of the matches involving our countrymen will commence at 7pm.

If the team is lucky, they could play on the final day, which is slated to involve the third place game at 4pm and the final at 7pm.

Ateneo, NU, UP seek return trips to UAAP Badminton Finals

c/o UAAP

Ties Tuesday at Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall

8 a.m. – Men's Final Four

NU vs UST / Ateneo vs UP

1 p.m. – Women's Final Four

UP vs UST / NU vs Ateneo

TOP seeds National University and University of the Philippines look to consolidate their unbeaten runs in the preliminary rounds of men’s and women’s divisions, respectively, when the UAAP Season 87 Badminton Tournament Final Four happens today (Tuesday) at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.

The Bulldogs will take on the University of Santo Tomas Golden Shuttlers at 8 a.m., while the Fighting Maroons will face the UST Lady Shuttlers at 1 p.m.

The Final Four winners will advance to the one-off Final on Wednesday, while the losers will play in a third-place tie on the same day.

Jeno Cariño and Solomon Padiz Jr. secured the fifth straight win for NU this season and the top rank in the semis last Sunday. The pair pulled off a 14-21, 21-11, 21-16 comeback against Lyrden Laborte and Robby Ramos of Ateneo De Manila University.

“Para sa ‘min, talagang nilaban namin ‘tong second doubles ni Monchi to secure ‘yung Final Four slot na top one. Ine-aim talaga naming mag-top one kasi ‘pag nag top one kami, good things can happen,” said the former Ateneo Blue Eagle Cariño.

On the other hand, Susmita Ramos and Dianne Libaton reeled UP into a similar preliminary-round sweep and the No. 1 seed. The tandem remained unbeaten after last Sunday's 21-15, 22-20 conquest of Ateneo’s Althea Ocampo and Missy Cervantes.

“Gagawin po namin ‘yung lahat para maka-abot kami sa Final. Sabi nga ng coaches, nothing to lose and everything to gain. ‘Yung preparation naman namin, alam naman naming magiging worth it,” said the rookie Libaton.

Ateneo, the double champions from Season 86, will shoot for bounce-back victories on the other side of the Final Four to keep its reign alive.

The men’s squad will battle the UP Fighting Maroons at 8 a.m., while the women’s side will take on the NU Lady Bulldogs at 1 p.m.

Both the Ateneo and NU women's teams are hoping that their aces Mika de Guzman and Sarah Barredo, respectively,  are good to go for the do-or-die encounters as the duo missed last weekend's ties due to illness.

Ateneo locks in first round sweep in UAAP men's football

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Football Tournament Standings

Ateneo 18 pts (+12)

FEU 10 pts (+6)

UP 10 pts (+5)

UST 9 pts (0)

DLSU 7 pts (-4)

UE 7 pts (-5)

ADU 0 pts (-14)

Women's Football Matches on Wednesday at UP Diliman Football Stadium

4 p.m. — UST vs UP

6:30 p.m. — FEU vs DLSU

A day after his 24th birthday, Leo Maquiling kept his nerves in check to lead Ateneo de Manila University in its 3-1 victory over University of the East in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Football Tournament on Sunday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

Maquiling, who came from Sacred Heart School - Ateneo de Cebu, converted two penalty kicks in the 18th and 41st minutes after the Blue Eagles initially conceded first early in the contest.

“I’m happy that I finally scored this season,” said the BS Management student. “At least we won our last game in the first round. There are a lot of improvements to be made but a goal is a goal. I’m happy I was able to score those goals.”

The Blue Eagles enjoyed further luck in front of the goal as a mishap by the Red Warriors’ defense forced defender Mark Maghinay to put the ball into his net in the 45+2 minute.

In the second half, the Red Warriors could have trimmed the two-goal deficit but Blue Eagles goalkeeper Artuz Cezar denied Jerome Abarca and Mark Joshua Sedeng’s headers.

Behind a first-round sweep, Ateneo finished top of the standings with 18 points and a goal difference of plus-12.

“We’re happy that we won all of the games in the first round,” said Coach JP Merida. “But on the flip side, I’m not really happy with this performance because we started slow. I think the good thing there was we got two penalties plus one own goal in the first half. In the second half, we didn’t capitalize on our chances, and we need to improve on that coming into the second round.”

On the other hand, UE remained in sixth place at the end of round one with seven points and a minus-5 GD.

UST overcomes Pre career-best in men's basketball

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Basketball Standings

*DLSU 10 1

*UP 8 1

UE 6 3

UST 5 6

Ateneo 3 7

AdU 3 7

FEU 3 7

NU 2 8

*Final Four

University of Santo Tomas snapped its three-game skid with a big time win over the Veejay Pre-powered Far Eastern University, 79-70, to protect its hold of the fourth spot in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Basketball Tournament at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, Sunday.

Kyle Paranada and Nic Cabañero connived in the final period to fend off the charge by the Tamaraws launched by the 19-year-old Pre, who finished with a massive statline of 31 points on 11-of-17 shooting from the field and 14 rebounds.

FEU kept on pushing in crunch time with Janrey Pasaol’s layup the closest it could get late, 64-69 with 2:42 left in the fourth quarter as Paranada responded with a corner three-pointer followed by a free throw by Cabañero to hike UST’s lead to nine points.

Pre continued to rally the Tamaraws but Cabañero, Forthsky Padrigao, and Christian Manaytay each basket to give the Growling Tigers the victory and break free from their three-game slump to improve to 5-6.

“Three-game losing streak kaya kailangang makabalik. Nagtrabaho ‘yung mga bata tapos breakout game kay Kyle Paranada. Basta kami ang iniisip namin ‘yung last four games do-or-die games na,” said UST head coach Pido Jarencio as his team now holds a 5-6 record with a game and a half advantage over FEU, Ateneo de Manila University, and Adamson University, all at 3-7.

Paranada scored all of his 13 points in the second half on a sweet 5-of-6 mark from the field, while Cabañero made half of his 16 points in the pivotal payoff period.

“In the locker room all we can say is that we’re aiming for the Final Four. With that word from the coaches, doon na kami namotivate agad,“ said Cabañero.

Padrigao added 14 points and five rebounds, while returning Mo Tounkara made his presence felt with 11 points, 12 rebounds, and two blocks.

UST’s next game will be on November 6 against the skidding National University, still at the same Pasay venue.

Backup was lacking for Pre in the Tamaraws’ loss as Pasaol was the next highest scorer with just nine points on 3-of-10 shooting from the field.

Royce Alforque added eight points and eight rebounds while Jorick Bautista, who was known to emerge in the clutch, struggled heavily with just eight points on 3-of-11 shooting from the field.

FEU, which saw its two-game winning run cut short, will try to bounce back on Nov. 3 against University of the East at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.

The Scores:

UST (79) – Cabañero 16, Padrigao 14, Paranada 13, Tounkara 11, Manaytay 7, Acido 6, Lane 6, Pangilinan 6, Crisostomo 0, Llemit 0, Calum 0, Laure 0, Estacio 0.

FEU (70) – Pre 31, Pasaol 9, Alforque 8, Bautista 8, Konateh 4, Añonuevo 3, Bagunu 3, Daa 2, Montemayor 2, Ona 0, Nakai 0.

Quarterscores: 16-13, 32-29, 50-43, 79-70

UP stuns DLSU late in Men's Football

c/o UAAP

Women's Football Matches on Wednesday at UP Diliman Football Stadium

4 p.m. — UST vs UP

6:30 p.m. — FEU vs DLSU

JOSES Amadu Azur and Ramil Bation III fired late goals to propel University of the Philippines past De La Salle University 2-0 in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Football Tournament on Sunday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

Both players, who came off the bench in the second half, put the ball at the back of the net in quick succession to break the Green Booters’ resolve.

Azur was the first to put his same on the scoresheet with a fine finish past La Salle goalkeeper Enrico Mangaoang in the 83rd minute while Bation sealed the victory for UP in the 84th minute.

“It was planned,” said Coach Popoy Clarino. “The way we were able to score the goals, we prepared that during our training. But their desire to score was one of the reasons they were able to get a goal for the team.”

The win allowed UP to end the first round by leapfrogging University of Santo Tomas to third place in the standings with 10 points.

But UP trails Far Eastern University, which took second place behind first round topnotcher Ateneo due to superior goal difference.

“It’s nice to end the first round full of confidence heading into the second round,” said Clarino. “We’re expecting the second round to be more fiery kasi all teams just a couple of points from each other.”

On the other hand, La Salle ended the first round in fifth place with seven points and a minus-4 GD.

The Green Booters looked like they could earn a draw thanks to Mangaoang’s heroics. 

The junior stopper out of De La Salle Zobel denied Fighting Maroons captain Macky Tobias from the penalty spot and performed a point-blank stop against Bation’s header, only for La Salle to eventually lose steam and give in to UP.

Jagoba Arrasate getting RCD Mallorca into potential European play

Jagoba Arrasate

In scrolling through the names currently atop LALIGA this season, you would see the expected names, like FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, but just behind them is a surprising team.

RCD Mallorca has won five of its matches so far this campaign, seeking to build on their previous campaign that saw them reach the Copa del Rey final. Their form sees them in the top five of the Spanish top-flight, potentially giving them a shot at continental play for the first time in two decades.

Much of this is credited to the arrival of their new coach: Jagoba Arrasate. The 46-year-old is best known for what he achieved at CA Osasuna, where he managed to lead Los Rojillos to the Copa del Rey final in 2022/23.

The manager has taken a game-by-game approach to the season, something he highlighted post-match after they defeated Rayo Vallecano last week, 1-0. He says, "It’s just an anecdote that we’re fifth, but not that we already have 17 points. That’s something that does allow us to keep growing. I feel that the team is increasingly comfortable with this way of playing, and I know there’s still room to improve. We have to keep working with the same humility, while understanding that opponents will find it tough to play us."

Mallorca's season kicked off with an impressive 1-1 draw against defending champions Real Madrid, but they stalled in the next few matchdays until securing their first win of the season against CD Leganés. That sparked them winning four of their next five matches, with the win over Rayo a good bounce back after their winning streak was snapped by RCD Espanyol earlier this month.

Their form has been more of a collective effort, with no player having scored more than a couple of goals so far. Antonio Raillo has been the only player to have played every single minute so far this season, with the defender leading the cast in adjusting to a back four after playing a back five under their previous manager Javier Aguirre.

When Arrasate took over in the summer, he noted that he wanted the transition to be as smooth as possible. He said back then, "I want to bring my nuances and my way of seeing football. I want my team to be recognisable, something I oversaw in previous years and which I’d now like to see at RCD Mallorca. This is a team that is already settled and that is already a good team. I’m going to try to lead the team to an even higher level, aware that this is a tough ask, but we are motivated."

Mallorca will face a big test early Monday morning, as the Los Bermellones are set to host Athletic Bilbao, the team it is currently behind by goal difference in LALIGA. A huge result could see them potentially be in the race not just for continental play, but a chance to play in the Champions League.

PFF ready for AFF Women's Futsal Championship hosting

c/o PFF

In a few weeks, the Philippine futsal scene gets to major canvas to paint itself, with the inaugural edition of the ASEAN Women's Futsal Championships.

Philippine Football Federation president John Gutierrez says about the upcoming competition, which will take place at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City, "This Asean Women’s Futsal Championships is historic because it is the first ever for the region, and it will be the first ever international tournament under our new administration."

He adds, "With awareness and participation for women’s football at an all-time high, we are continuing the tremendous work that the Filipinas have achieved in the last several years. And with futsal also growing, this hosting of the Asean Women’s Futsal Championship is an exciting follow-up that stands on its own as a precursor to our hosting next year’s FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup."

The tournament will feature four more regional squads who are relative high in the FIFA Futsal rankings: sixth-ranked Thailand, eleventh-ranked Vietnam, 24th-ranked Indonesia, and 37th-ranked Myanmar.

For the 59th-ranked Philippines, it is the latest step to get this team competitive for the inaugural edition of the global competition, slated to take place from November 21 to December 7 next year.

It marks a continued strong projection for the side which the PFF has been investing since 2021 alongside the Henry Moran Foundation. They finished second in the PFF Tri-Nations Women's Futsal Invitational last year, coached by Vic Hermans. The Dutch gaffer been working with the PFF since 2022.

Gutierrez concludes, "We’re incredibly excited to host this tournament. We have seen the country explode in the last decade or so in terms of sports hosting as well as world-class events. We are continuing the work started by previous PFF administrations and hope to make our countrymen, our Asean neighbors, as well as sports fans proud by not only our hosting – of which Filipinos are known for – but also for our national team’s performance."

He also requests, "We invite all football fans, players, coaches, stakeholders to watch this exciting event. Rest assured that we have a top-team working behind the scenes to ensure the success of this Asean Women’s Futsal Championships."