All-U12 semis affair in FA Challenge Cup

Four U12 squads bagged semis seats in the 2014 FA Boys and Girls Challenge Cup after last Saturday’s quarterfinal games at the Koblerville Elementary School Field.

Matansa and MP United players are seen here in a foot race during last year’s title game in the FA Challenge Cup. The two teams will have an early rematch as they collide in the semifinals this Saturday at the Hopwood Junior High School Field. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Matansa and Paire’s U12 teams notched the first two semis berths after downing separate foes in the 1pm games for the co-ed U12 and girls U15 competition. Matansa U12 dueled Kanoa U12 at Pitch 1 and cruised to a 3-0 win, while at Pitch 2, Paire also shut out Paire Girls U15, 8-0.

Paire drew two goals apiece from Jamin Elliot, Seung Woo Lee, and Blake Mister, while Kaden Church and Neil Brian Sagum chipped in one each to help the team advance to the Final Four round against Tan Holdings U12.

Tan Holdings played in the second game at Pitch 2 and edged Matansa U15 Girls, 4-2. Angelo Bergancia canned a pair of goals for Tan Holdings, while Thaiphi Austria and John Michael Rojas contributed one apiece.

Thaiphi scored first for Tan Holdings, while Bergancia drilled back-to-back goals in the first half to lift the team to a 3-2 lead. Matansa U15 Girls stayed in the match in the first 25 minutes of play after getting one goal each from Maile Aldrich and Lyka Sally. Howeover, Matansa U15 lost on its semis bid, as it failed to light up the board in the second half, while Tan Holdings got one goal from Rojas.

The victory against Matansa U15 was Tan Holdings U12’s second, as the former eliminated Tan Holdings U15 in the opening round of the FA Challenge Cup late last month, also at Koblerville.

In the Matansa U12-Kanoa U12 playoff encounter, Kervin Ruziel Babauta and Glenn Basallo scored for the former to arrange a semis showdown against MP United U12.

MP United marched to the semifinals, following a 4-0 triumph over Kanoa U15 over at Pitch 1 in the second game of the weekend. Geon Ho Lee kicked off MP United’s offense, two straight goals in a span of two minutes, while Rintaro Miyawaki and Daniele Colombo nailed one goal apiece.

Lee recorded his first goal in the 14th minute and got his second in the 16th, while Miyawaki made it a 3-0 advantage with his goal four minutes later. Colombo then registered MP United’s lone goal in the second half, as he found the back of the net in the 42nd minute. MP United forced a quarterfinal match against Kanoa Girls U15 after beating Shirley’s FC U12 last month.

Meanwhile, MP United U12’s semis showdown against Matansa U12 will be played this Saturday at 1pm at the Hopwood Junior High School Field. The second semis match between Tan Holdings U12 and Paire U12 is set for 2:30pm, also at the Hopwood pitch.