The battle for the inaugural PFF Futsaliga U17 Boys’ Division championship is officially set after Star FC and EMA Bulacan Highlanders emerged victorious in the Cup semifinals last May 9 at the Philsports Arena, the country’s growing “House of Futsal,” through the continued support of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).=
In the Cup semifinals, unbeaten Star FC continued its dominant run with a commanding 8-3 victory over Nemesis FA to punch its ticket to the championship match.
Star FC overwhelmed their opponents with relentless attacking play, led by Mark Filnan Samonte, who erupted for four goals to earn Bootcamp Player of the Match honors.
For Star FC team manager Marianita Fulgado, merely participating in the tournament already represented a major achievement for the club, making the finals appearance even more meaningful.
“Masayang-masaya po kami kasi talagang pinaghandaan namin ito para ma-experience namin. Sabi nga namin, makasali pa lang dito, panalo na agad. Bonus na lang talaga yung panalo,” Fulgado said.
She revealed the extraordinary sacrifices made by the team throughout the tournament, including housing players together and conducting nonstop training sessions to strengthen chemistry and teamwork.
“Parang in-house po namin sila. Yung kalahati ng players nasa bahay namin, yung iba nasa bahay ng isa pang player. Dere-derecho po ang training namin. Lagi kaming nag-uusap tungkol sa teamwork kasi napaka-importante niyan. Hindi ka mananalo by talent alone. Kailangan talaga teamwork,” she added.
Awaiting Star FC in the final is third seed EMA Bulacan Highlanders, who pulled off a dramatic 3-2 upset over second seed Paul Stiga Academy (PSA) in one of the most thrilling matches of the tournament so far.
The tightly contested encounter saw both teams trading momentum throughout the second half. Charlson Vidal opened the scoring in the 20th minute after a brilliant solo run from midcourt, only for PSA’s Prince Yana to equalize three minutes later off transition play.
EMA regained the lead in the 33rd minute through Ashlee Saguimo, but PSA responded almost immediately as Johnmarl Rabanal rifled home a half-volley from inside to tie the game anew.
With the match seemingly headed for extra time, Vidal delivered the decisive moment in the 37th minute, beating his defender one-on-one on the left wing before firing the winning goal that sent EMA Bulacan to the final.
Vidal admitted the Highlanders initially felt pressure against one of the tournament favorites but credited the team’s composure and trust in one another for the breakthrough victory.
“Kabado po kami noong una kasi top two yung kalaban namin. Pero sabi ko sa mga ka-teammate ko, tiwala lang kami at kalmado lang sa paglalaro para hindi kami ma-pressure,” Vidal said.
The EMA Bulacan standout also emphasized the importance of teamwork and support from coaches, teammates, and fans throughout the competition.
“Hindi ko maaabot ito kung wala ang mga ka-teammate ko, coaches, at mga nanonood sa amin. Sila talaga ang nagbibigay suporta at tiwala sa Bulacan,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Plate semifinals also delivered exciting action at the House of Futsal.
Antipolo City FC booked a place in the Plate Final after a composed 2-1 win over PasigLaban. JM Bautista once again led the Highlanders’ charge, claiming his third Bootcamp Player of the Match award of the tournament with another clutch performance.
Joining Antipolo City FC in the Plate Final is Manila Futsal Team, which defeated Sporting QC, 5-1, in the “battle of the big cities.” Christopher Messi de Pedro lived up to his name with a brace to steer Manila to victory and secure his side’s place in the final.
With Star FC maintaining its unbeaten record and EMA Bulacan riding the momentum of a giant-killing semifinal triumph, the stage is now set for a highly anticipated championship showdown in the inaugural PFF Futsaliga U17 Boys’ Division on May 16. The championship match day of the U17 divisions will kick off at 8 AM. Admission is free at the Philsports Arena.
