RP young footballers trounce 2 rivals at start of Norway Cup

OSLO, Norway – The Philippines' youth football squad, Rizal Football, trounced two Norwegian teams at the start of the Norway Cup held at the open fields of Baekkelagets Sportsklub here on Sunday. Fresh from their quarter-final stint from Denmark, the young footballers showed their superiority as they demolished the two Norwegian teams, Strømmen, 10-0, and Nordstrand, 4-1. The team needed three wins of the seven games to qualify for the quarterfinals. When asked about the team’s chance of making it to the finals, team coach Potenciano Fernandez said, “The ball is round. But I have my complete confidence in them," adding that all that he asked from his team is their “heart." Fernandez leads the 15-member Filipino delegation who came to Oslo from Denmark to compete at the week-long Norway Cup that started on Saturday. The competition will run until August 2, 2008. Also with them is Dr. Julius Drilon, brother of former Senator Franklin Drilon and father of one of the players. He is also the team’s physician. Some 1,500 teams with 30,000 participants from 45 nation are competing in the event dubbed by organizers as the world’s largest tournament for the youth. The members of the Rizal Football team are Paolo Jacob (midfielder), Rafael Labos (goalkeeper), Renz Salindong (Team Captain, striker) Mike Drilon, Seth Isay, Matthew Osit, Aldrin Malvarosa, twins Julien and two guest players, Kenneth Gjende and Steion. - GMANews.TV