RP rips Luxembourg in Homeless WC

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines made an impressive start in the seventh Homeless World Cup, beating Luxembourg, 6-1, at the Arena Civica in Milan, Italy over the weekend.

The RP booters shrugged off Luxembourg’s tough stand in the first half, breaking out of a 1-all count with five goals, including one from Robin Porcioncula that sparked the run and set the tone for the rout.

Porcioncula, Ronaldo Yurag and Larry Dela Cruz each scored two goals while Joemer Gelena held his own at the goal to ensure Team RP’s solid start in the tournament held to promote awareness of homelessness and poverty around the world through football (street soccer).

“I’m excited, very excited,” said Team RP coach Marlon Maro, whose wards were cheered on by members of the Filipino community, including those from the Alpha Phi Omega sorority and artist Paul Zialcita. “We’re much more prepared now than we were last year.”

Team Philippines, organized by Urban Opportunities for Change Foundation, Inc. and the Henry V. Moran Foundation, was formed last May after a series of elims featuring teams from eight homeless shelters around the country. 

The Filipinos will next face Italy and Mexico, two of the most fancied teams in the tournament, which drew 500 players from 48 countries, then clash with Romania and Ghana.

Other teams seeing action are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Namibia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, USA, and Wales.