ORO PRIDE. JB BORLONGAN (front) AND TROY LIMBO WILL SEE ACTION IN THE AFF U-22 CHAMPIONSHIP SET TO START SUNDAY IN CAMBODIA.
OFF TO CAMBODIA. THE PHILIPPINE U-22 TEAM DURING A THE SEND OFF WITH PHILIPPINE FOOTBALL FEDERATION (PFF) OFFICIALS LED BY SEC. GEN. ATTY. EDWIN GASTANES (sitting 5th from left)
CAGAYAN DE ORO – Two of Cagayan de Oro’s best young footballers, Troy Uy Limbo and Jeremiah “JB” Borlongan will see action for the Philippine U22 team in the Asean Football Federation (AFF) U22 Championship which will kick off Sunday (Feb. 17) at the National Olympic Stadium of Cambodia in Phnom Penh.
The duo were members of the original “Little Azkals’’ who represented the Philippines in Italy and in Japan in 2013.
TROY WITH PARENTS JUN AND DARLENE. TROY IN ACTION FOR HIS SUNDERLAND RCA TEAM IN ENGLAND.
Seven players from that “Little Azkals” team including Limbo and Borlongan made it to the Cambodia bound team.
They are Christian Florence La Paz from Dumaguete of UP, Vincent Erick Lovitos from Cebu of La Salle St. Benilde, Rey Vincent Sanciangco from Manila of UP , Major Dean Ebarle from Cebu of Kaya FC and US based Mark Winhiffer of Yale University.
THE ORIGINAL LITTLE AZKALS WITH TROY LIMBO AND JB BORLONGAN
Two other “Little Azkals Marco Alessandro Casambre and Kintaro Miyagi of UP also could have easy made the line-up but are reportedly injured. Coaching them then was Oliver ‘Bingbing’ Colina who is now the head coach of Cebu’s semi-pro team Leylam FC.
THE ORIGINAL LITTLE AZKALS WITH THEIR COACH OLIVER COLINA (second from right) IN A TOURNAMENT IN BORNEO.
Limbo and Borlongan were also members of the Philippine U-22 team which played in the SEA Games in Malaysia in 2017.
Limbo now plays for Sunderland RCA in England while Borlongan is a regular member of the UP men’s football varsity whom he led to back-to-back titles in the UAAP.
CHAMPION. JB BORLONGAN DURING THE AWARDING OF TROPHY AND MEDAL OF THE UAAP MEN’S FOOBALL CHAMPIONSHIP LAST YEAR.
Also missing in the team is Ateneo de Manila University striker and now considered as the new golden boy of Philippine football, Jarvey Gayoso has opted not to play in Cambodia.
The Philippine U22 team AFF U22 Championship appearance is part of their preparation for the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) set here in the Philippines in December.
The Philippines grouped with Vietnam, Thailand, and Timor Leste in Group A.
The players called up come primarily from the university teams that participate in either the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) or the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) with a few coming from overseas based teams and Philippine professional club teams.
Leading the team is head coach Salvador ‘Bob’ Salvacion while assisting him are Andres ‘Anto’ Gonzales, Randolfo ‘Popoy’ Clarino, Christopher Pedimonte, and Ralph Datoy.
The Under-22 team will be also form part of the Philippines team for the AFC U23 Championship 2020 Qualifiers this March in Malaysia.
Philippine U-22 team:
Alexandre Arcilla-Goalkeeper-ADMU; Michael Asong–Goalkeeper-San Beda University; Kenry Balobo–Goalkeeper-San Beda University; Lawrence Baguio-Defender-De La Salle College of Benilde; Winces Balbino–Defender-Lyceum of the Philippines Univ.; Dean Ebarle–Defender–Kaya FC Iloilo; Jose Miguel Clarino–Defender-UP; William Jay Grierson- Defender-ADMU; Jordan Jarvis-Defender-Eastern Sports Club-Hongkong; Banjo Mahinay–Defender–Lyceum of the Philippines University; James Mansueto-Defender- Lyceum; Ray Sanciangco–Defender-UP; Jeremiah Borlongan–Midfielder, UP; Jumbel Guinabang–Midfielder-Arellano University, Dylan De Bruyker–Midfielder-Negros-Ceres, Earl Laguerta– Midfielder-De La Salle-Benilde, Christian Lapas–Midfielder-UP, Vincent Lovitos–Midfielder-De La Salle St.Benilde; Kyle Magdato–Midfielder-UP; Daniel Saavedra–Midfielder-UP; Mark Winhiffer–Midfielder-Yale University; Rico Andes-Forward-National University, Troy Limbo–Forward-Sunderland RCA. (l.biantan@gmail.com)
