THE CEBU Queen City United Football Club (CQCU FC) edged Team Socceroo FC, 4-3, yesterday to stay at the third place in the United Football League Second Division Tournament.
Benedict Luis Arriola found the back of the net twice to help CQCU FC strengthen its hold of third place with 32 points equivalent to a win-draw-loss record of 10-2-3.
The win also CQCU’s advantage over fourth-placer Agila FC to five points.
John Michael Flores scored the first goal for CQCU FC at the 17th minute.
Team Socceroo’s Romeu Rodrigues leveled the match at 1-all with his goal at the 37th minute.
Arriola connected at the 45th minute to give CQCU FC the upperhand, 2-1, going into halftime.
Team Socceroo tied the game with a goal from Zaydan Timpani just five minutes into the second half.
Dan Marnel Villarico scored a goal at the 68th minute to give CQCU FC the advantage at 3-2. Arriola scored his second goal two minutes later to put CQCU FC ahead by two.
CQCU head coach Mario Ceniza then reverted the team’s game plan back to its original flat-four formation to protect the team’s two-point lead.
But team Socceroo still scored its third goal in the three-minute added time courtesy of Daniel Kenji Matsunaga.
However, time ran out for Team Socceroo and CQCU FC went home with its second straight win in the second round. /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON