Three-peat for MP United FC

MP United FC’s boys U18 team ruled the 2013 FA Youth Challenge Cup after beating Tan Holdings FC, 3-1, in the finals last Saturday night at the Oleai Sports Complex Field.

MP United has won the last three editions of the season-ending tournament, prevailing against different clubs in those three occasions. In 2011, the Norman Del Rosario-coached squad downed sister team MP United Silver (U15), 3-1, and then topped perennial rival Paire FC in last year’s finale, 3-2.

This year against the Tan Holdings FC, MP United managed to complete the three-peat despite playing with a depleted lineup in the second half of the title game. John Taisacan and Scott Kim were booted out of the game after getting their second yellow card in the 39th and 43rd minute, respectively, leaving MP United with only 9 players versus the intact crew of Tan Holdings.

When the two key players left, MP United was in a deadlock against the Tan Holdings FC, 1-1. MP United scored first off Jehn Joyner’s goal in the 31st minute and assist from Tanapon Unsa. Taisacan started the play sending the ball to Unsa to the right corner with the former dribbling forward and attracting Tan Holdings defenders. Tan Holdings bit to the bait, leaving Joyner momentarily free inside the penalty box and Unsa quickly recognized their foe’s defensive lapses and made a pass. Joyner then hit a cross and Tan Holdings’ Oliver Lumbad, who was also fooled by Unsa’s decoy play moving toward the left post, was too late for the save when he slid back to his right side.

MP United hung on to the lead for a while before Sean Perez tied the match with a penalty shot. Perez made the penalty hit happened when he had a good kick a few feet away from midcourt and Michael Fidelino tried to receive it, but was held down by an MP United defender.

The eventful first half, which saw a lot of physical plays from both camps, remained even, as Enrico Del Rosario had a big save in the closing minutes of that period. He made a header after Tan Holdings had a free kick and the ball seemed to go down and over the hands of MP United goalie Chris Aninzo. Del Rosario snuck behind Aninzo and prevented the ball from dropping down using his head.

With the game tied and MP United forced to play shorthanded in the second half, coach Del Rosario looked for players to fill the void left by Taisacan and Kim on the team’s offense. John Diego Masga and Unsa responded to the call, connecting on free kicks in the 55th and 59th minute.

The back-to-back goals off free kicks more than made up for an earlier bad break that MP United got in the 52nd minute. Unsa took a penalty shot seven minutes into the second half, but his connection was nullified after one of his teammates tried moving toward the box with the former had yet to make the kick. League rules would have called for a re-take of the penalty shot, but the referee resumed play and awarded possession to Tan Holdings.

Despite the questionable decision, MP United continued to be aggressive on offense and was rewarded with its persistence. The lefty Masga positioned for a long free kick (between 30 and 40 yards and near the right midfield) after a handball call against Tan Holdings FC and hit a cross looper that went over the hands of Lumbad.

Masga was mobbed by his teammates after the great shot and four minutes later, it was Unsa’s turn to celebrate his own free kick conversation. Unsa again tricked Tan Holdings’ defense, as he let his teammate cut through the passing lane first before going for a straight cross from the left center defense spot.

Caught flatfooted by MP United’s two straight free kicks, Tan Holdings was a bit disorganized in the remaining minutes of the game, as it went on a defensive mode instead of attacking and capitalizing on their manpower advantage against its foe to overhaul the deficit. When Tan Holdings had possession, three and sometimes four of its players just hung around near midcourt and almost always allowed only Sean Perez to anchor the team’s offense. A worn-out Perez went down the field several times, as he tried to penetrate MP United’s defense.

Perez was later carried by his teammates on the court when he received his Golden Boot award, while MP United was awarded the perpetual trophy and its goalie Aninzo took the Golden Glove plum.

MP United and Tan Holdings arranged their title duel for the FA Challenge Cup after beating MP United U15 and Paire FC in the semis, respectively. In the consolation game, Paire edged MP United U15, 1-0, off Joel Fruit’s goal in the 16th minute of the extension.