source: MANILA, Philippines—Negros Occidental nipped regional rival Iloilo, 1-0, on Monday, to virtually seal top honors in the Visayas eliminations of the PFF Suzuki Cup Under-23 Championship at the Silliman field in Dumaguete City.
Amid sweltering conditions, San Carlos City-born midfielder Jay Baguiro scored the only goal at the stroke of half-time to settle the tight contest between the five-team tournament’s only remaining unbeaten teams.
“It’s a real rivalry,” said Negros Occidental coach Norman Fegidero, who handled the national team in the AFC Challenge Cup in 2008.
The heated match saw eight players getting slapped with yellow cards and an assistant coach sacked from the bench.
“It’s pretty physical. We expect nothing less from them (Iloilo), which was the same way they expected from us.”
It was Negros Occidental’s third straight win after earlier similar 3-nil victories over Cebu and host Negros Oriental.
They are favored to breeze past winless Leyte in their final assignment on Tuesday and formally secure one of the two berths at stake in the eight-team semifinals.
Iloilo, bannered by standouts from the UAAP and NCAA, earlier prevailed over Leyte (8-0) and Cebu (2-0).
But the Ilonggos rammed into a stronger and well-drilled Negros side, which was boosted by the presence of 6-foot-2 central defender Lemuel Unabia, who had played for Green Archers Orient Freight in the United Football League a day earlier in Manila.
Unabia and goalkeeper John Mendoza kept Iloilo attackers Glester Sobremisana and Christian de Juan at bay with timely headers and challenges.
Joven Bedic, a crafty striker born and raised in Barotac Nuevo but plays for Bacolod since he studies at West Negros University coached by Fegidero, tormented his home province by sending the cross that led to Baguiro’s goal in the 44th minute.
Amid sweltering conditions, San Carlos City-born midfielder Jay Baguiro scored the only goal at the stroke of half-time to settle the tight contest between the five-team tournament’s only remaining unbeaten teams.
“It’s a real rivalry,” said Negros Occidental coach Norman Fegidero, who handled the national team in the AFC Challenge Cup in 2008.
The heated match saw eight players getting slapped with yellow cards and an assistant coach sacked from the bench.
“It’s pretty physical. We expect nothing less from them (Iloilo), which was the same way they expected from us.”
It was Negros Occidental’s third straight win after earlier similar 3-nil victories over Cebu and host Negros Oriental.
They are favored to breeze past winless Leyte in their final assignment on Tuesday and formally secure one of the two berths at stake in the eight-team semifinals.
Iloilo, bannered by standouts from the UAAP and NCAA, earlier prevailed over Leyte (8-0) and Cebu (2-0).
But the Ilonggos rammed into a stronger and well-drilled Negros side, which was boosted by the presence of 6-foot-2 central defender Lemuel Unabia, who had played for Green Archers Orient Freight in the United Football League a day earlier in Manila.
Unabia and goalkeeper John Mendoza kept Iloilo attackers Glester Sobremisana and Christian de Juan at bay with timely headers and challenges.
Joven Bedic, a crafty striker born and raised in Barotac Nuevo but plays for Bacolod since he studies at West Negros University coached by Fegidero, tormented his home province by sending the cross that led to Baguiro’s goal in the 44th minute.
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