CQCU to take on Pachanga FC

Cebu Queen City United (CQCU) will be vying for a quarterfinals entry as it faces Pachanga FC this Saturday at the Aboitiz Sportd Field in Subangdaku Mandaue when the Philippine Football Federation (PFF)-Smart Club Championships enters the Round of 16—the first of the knockout stages.

The Round of 16 will pit the six regional qualifiers against the top 10 teams of United Football League with the local clubs hosting the matches in their respective provinces.

This is made possible behind Smart’s aim to go around regionally and give provincial football clubs a chance to to play against the country’s premier football clubs who have in their lineup members of the Phillipine national senior team—the Azkals.

The Round of 16 will kickoff with today’s match between M’Lang FC of Mindanao and Kaya FC of the UFL at the South Cotabato Sports Complex in Koronadal City while the rest of the matches will be held this weekend.

Aside from Cebu’s CQCU, other matches this Saturday are Baguio United FC against Gen Trias International FC at the Benguet State University, La Trinidad, Romgarjal FC versus Green Archers United FC at the Jose Rizal Memorial State University in Dapitan City, and Flame United FC against Loyola FC at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.

Scheduled for Sunday is the match between Ceres FC and Stallion FC at the Panaad Football Stadium in Bacolod City, Pasargad FC and Phil. Army FC at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila and Nomads FC and Global FC still at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

With Smart bringing the competition to the provinces, Cyril Dofitas, Philippine Football Federation (PFF) competitions department head, said the national football body is given a chance to evaluate football’s development at the province level.

He said that the main point of inserting a PFF program into the tournament is to strengthen the provincial association clubs as they go up against the country’s top football clubs.

The top eight teams from the Round of 16 will advance to the quarterfinals, top four to the semifinals and top two to the finals.