Treadtel Football Cup opens

MORE THAN 50 teams will be seeing action as the Treadtel Football Cup 2011 kicks off today at the Aboitiz Sportsfield in Subangdaku, Mandaue City.

This festival-type tournament will feature eight categories in 5, 9 and 11-A-side formats.

To be played in a 5-A-side format will be the players 6; while the players 8 and players 10 will have the 9-A-side format.

To be played in an 11-A-side format will be the Boys 12, 14 and 17; and Girls 14 and 17.

The Little Azkals will be competing in the Boys 14 category as part of their one-year sustainability program.

Other teams to see action will be coming from Springdale, Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC), Canduman FC and Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC), among others.

Some players from Manila will also be reinforcing some of the Cebu teams for the tournament.

Last year’s Boys 17 champions Abellana National School (ANS) Pomeroy will not be returning to defend its title but head coach Francis Ramirez denied that their absence in the tournament this year had something to do with what happened last year.

Last year, two of his boys in John Rey Nieves and Joeford Dolino were suspended allegedly for their part in a melee during a match against Giuseppe Football Club.

Dolino was suspended for punching while Nieves was given a red card.

The suspension against both boys have not yet been lifted until now although Nieves was allowed to play in their championship match against University of San Carlos Technological Center (USC-TC).

Ramirez said they are not playing due to budgetary constraints.

This tournament is organized by the Cebu Football Association.  CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON