Matansa gets FA Challenge Cup

It’s payback time for Matansa Football Club’s girls U15 team, as it shut out Shirley’s, 4-0, in the finale of the 2015 FA Boys and Girls Challenge Cup last Saturday at the Hopwood Junior High School Field.

Matansa FC’s Angelica Sally, left, uses her body to receive the ball, while Shirley’s FC’s De Jana Muna stays close on defense during the second half of their title game in the 2015 FA Boys and Girls Challenge Cup last Saturday at the Hopwood Junior High School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Matansa lost the 2015 spring championships to Shirley’s girls U15 crew, which also foiled the former’s bid for a third straight season title. When the rivals met anew in the FA Cup finals last weekend, Matansa coach Ho Jin Woo used that loss to motivate his players.

“We’ve been dominating the girls U15 league for the last two years, winning three of the four championships at stake. Then we lost this spring to Shirley’s. It was a tough loss and a very close one, so I asked the girls, ‘are we going to lose again the FA Cup?’” Woo said.

“They answered ‘no.’ I challenged them to win the FA Cup and they responded to the challenge,” the Matansa mentor said.

Matansa’s potent offense coupled with its relentless defense gave the club its second FA Cup. It’s U12 co-ed crew won the same tournament in 2012, while MP United U12 prevailed twice (2011 and 2013), and Paire U12 bagged last year’s crown.

“We always had two to three players getting ready to attack if the ball lands midfield. On defense, our goalkeeper (Carla Ballesteros) is strong and she has a great support from the rest of our defenders,” said Woo, who apologized to Shirley’s after one of its players fell hard on the pitch following a collision against one of his players.

Joining Ballesteros on the champion squad are Lyka Sally, Maile Aldrich, Angelica Sally, and Pinyarat Shankweiller, who all scored in the easy win. Completing the team are Leisha Sally, Alisa Gathamgeg, Aira May Ngalongalo, Sunny Woo, Kiana Marie Rife, Angelica Sally, Nikela Masayos, Jezreelyn Bulaklak, Bernadette Horey, Ha’anne Eugenio, Lizann Deleon Guerrero, and Barbara Peteru.

Lyka put Matansa on the board in the 11th minute after outhustling her defender and kicking the ball, which rolled past Shirley’s starting goalie Katherine Magat. Aldrich made it a 2-0 lead, as she scored after a corner kick four minutes before the 30-minute first half wrapped up.

With a 2-0 halftime edge, all Matansa had to do was play defense in the second half, while Shirley’s was pressured to go extra aggressive on offense. However, Shirley’s did not even come close to getting a clear shot in the second half with either Ballesteros stepping in quickly to pick up the ball or Shirley’s players unloading wayward kicks.

One of those wild kicks was anticipated by Angelica Sally, who later gave Shirley’s a double blackeye as after the interception, she made a cross a few steps away from the top left of the penalty box and connected an upper 90 in the 58th minute.

One minute later it was Pinyarat’s turn to score, putting the punctuation mark on Matansa’s domination of Shirley’s with her free kick and the ball going over the hands of goalie Kianna Atalig.

Meanwhile, in the battle for third place, Kanoa U12 slipped past MP United U12.

Brian Lubao and Merrick Toves knocked in two goals apiece for Kanoa with the latter giving his club the insurance goal, 4-2, three minutes before the consolation match ended. Dylan Cho tallied MP United’s first two goals, while Akira Kadokura posted the last in the 59th minute.