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MANILA, Philippines – A Cinderella tale has come to pass.
The long wait is over as the glass slipper fit the former underdogs Arellano University Chiefs, giving a massive heartbreak to the San Beda College Red Booters in a convincing 2-0 upset at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, January 19.
Year after another, Arellano have had to settle for second best behind either San Beda or St. Benilde. But this NCAA Season 91, they surprisingly dominated the ranks as they started strong and finished stronger.
Arellano’s happily-ever-after smashed the Red Booters’ 6-peat fantasy and made a piece of their own history as the Legarda-based squad claimed their first-ever NCAA championship.
Striker Charles Gamutan gave AU its first goal in the 33rd minute of the first half while Jumbeng Guinbang executed a personal effort to produce another goal in the 80th mark to seal the deal for Arellano.
“Ito talaga ‘yung expectation ko ngayon kasi nakakuha ako ng mga players na medyo competitive naman plus ‘yung suporta pa ng school namin,” said AU coach Ravelo Saluria.
(This is really what I expected this year because I was able to recruit competitive players plus the support of the school helped).
Guinbang was also named Most Valuable Player and Best Midfielder while Patrick Bernarte bagged the Best Defender award.
“Napakasaya ko kasi ito ‘yung matagal na naming gusto makamit,”quipped Guinbang. “’Yung nakatulong talaga ay ‘yung mga sumusuporta sa amin at si coach. Sila ‘yung dahilan kung bakit hindi kami sumuko.”
(I am so happy because we’ve waited for this a long time. The people who supported us all throughout and our coach are the reasons why we didn’t give up).
On the other hand, San Beda received the Fair Play Award and Ralph Abriol was awarded as Golden Boot with a total of 11 goals this season.
“I thought that our teammates would step up to cover up for absence but I guess, it was really for them [Arellano],” said an emotional Caindec who played his last game as a Red Booter.
The win secures for Arellano its second championship of the season after topping the men’s chess event last year.
San Beda – which owns a league-best 22 NCAA football titles – had defeated Arellano 2-1 on Saturday, but lost striker Connor Tacagni in the process after he accrued a second yellow card. Skipper Matt Asong also sat out with an injury.
In the juniors’ division, St. Benilde-La Salle Greenhills overcame a 1-3 first half to win the high school title with a 5-3 victory. – Rappler.com
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