Laguna, Rizal gain Smart elims

MANILA, Philippines - Rizal and Laguna beat their separate rivals in contrasting fashions last Tuesday to gain berths in the Smart Club Championship Luzon regionals at the UP-Los Baños football field in Los Baños, Laguna.

Led by Christopher Pedimonte’s four goals, the Rizal booters crushed Baguio-Benguet, 7-0, while Laguna subdued Tarlac, 7-5, for the two teams’ third straight victories in the North-Central-South Luzon cluster eliminations.

Rizal and Laguna thus joined early qualifiers Masbate and Naga City-Camarines Sur in the all-Luzon tournament set May 11-13, also at the UPLB pitch.

A former national Under-19 team mainstay, Pedimonte went on a four-goal spree to power the fancied Rizal team to victory in the event sponsored by Smart and organized by the Philippine Football Federation.

V. Melendrez had two goals (75th and 81st ) while J. Dimaculangan delivered the last goal in 85th.

Nigerian forward Glen Malu, a Sta. Rosa FC regular, scored a hat trick in the first period (3rd, 23rd and 29th) as Laguna surged to a 5-1 lead at halftime.

Tarlac, however, countered with three straight goals at resumption of the match with L. Ramos and B. Manuel combining for three goals to close the gap at 4-5.

But after Laguna and Tarlac traded goals through Mersan Romedja (74th) and G. Alvarez (83rd), respectively, L. Malbuyug clinched the win for the hosts with a goal in the 91st minute.