USPF, USC beat rivals, set up final showdown

The University of Southern Philippine Foundation (USPF) and the University of San Carlos (USC) will face each other for the title of the collegiate football championships of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (CESAFI) after blanking their respective opponents yesterday at the Aboitiz Sportsfield in Subangdaku, Mandaue City.

USPF edged University of the Visayas (UV), 1-0, while USC routed UC, 4-0, to advance to the finals.

The semifinals match between USC and UC was interrupted for eight minutes after head referee Archie Reyes decreed to eject the father of USC players Folk Hanes and Prince Hanesim Antoni.

Reyes claimed that Henry Antoni, who was sitting on the bleachers, was shouting insults to the referee, which is a violation of the Cesafi football ground rules.

Tournament director Eugene Ynclino IV approached Henri Antoni but the latter refused to leave the bleachers. He later conceded and stayed near the gate house after USC was warned that his sons won’t be allowed to play in the team’s next game.

Ynclino decided that should Antoni once again insult the referee during USC’s finals match against USPF, his sons will automatically be benched.

USPF tried to find a hole in UV’s airtight defense until the 72th minute when Albert Tejas headed a cross from Joseph Rodriguez and found the back of the net.

UV played defensively but sorely lacked offense. The team also had no coach as their coach Eddie Bout had been handed a lifetime ban by the Cesafi for a 2009 incident.

UV’s solid defense had prevented USPF from indulging in a scoring spree despited repeated attacks.

In the other semifinals match, UC succumbed to the experience that USC displayed with Karl Arcenas scoring in the first 15 minutes via a free kick.

Despite the incident with his father, Folk Hanes Antoni scored twice for USC on the 45th and 55th minutes of the match.

The final goal for USC was scored by Bernard Rotich in the 82nd minute.