Red Lions edge Chiefs in IPPCA football

STA. ROSA, Laguna, Philippines  – Substitute striker Ashley Flores struck in the 63rd minute as NCAA champion San Beda College edged Arellano University, 3-2, in the 2012 IPPCA  Football Pre-Season Cup yesterday.

The 18-year-old Flores hit the winning goal moments after he came in as the Red Lions posted their second straight win over at pitch No. 2 of the Nuvali field for the solo lead in Group C.

“The boys are coming off a long vacation so they’re still trying to feel their way in. But they settled down after Ashley came in and scored,” said SBC coach Jeffrey Liman.

The Red Lions, who placed third in the Unigames in Bacolod last week, opened up scoring with a 40-yard blast from Alejandro Baldo in the 11th minute then went 2-0 on a 25-meter right-footer slam from Aaron Carlos on the 23rd.

But Arellano refused to crumble and made its counterattack with Alvin Obero’s 20-yard free kick in the 39th.

Obero struck again early in the second half on a penalty kick that sailed over the head of goalie Anthony Alban in the 53rd, tying the match at 2.

In other senior matches, the Ateneo-Flying V Blue Eagles outplayed Perpetual Help, 8-1, while  Philippine Christian U turned back Mapua, 3-1.

The event is organized by Filoil Flying V Sports and sponsored by Meralco, Nuvali, Nature’s Spring, Molten, N20 Gastropub, Boysen Paints, BDO, Topcoms/StarSports Korea, Bacchus, CDO San Marino Corned Tuna and Pingping Lechon.

Lester Amita scored two goals, including one on the 76th minute as Far Eastern University nipped Lyceum, 3-2, while Emilio Aguinaldo College played National University to a 1-all draw.

In junior action, the San Beda Red Cubs walloped the Lyceum Junior Pirates, 11-0, while Ateneo trounced University of Santo Tomas, 4-0.

Mico Mabanag led the Eagles with three goals (18th, 71st, 86th) as Ateneo seized the solo lead in Group B with a 1-0-1 (win-loss-draw) record.       

Mabanag was later named as Seaoil Best Striker. He was joined by other awardees Jeffrey Orada of Lyceum as the Flying V Best Defender; Joey Lacson of NU as the Unioil Best Midfielder,  Nelson Gasic, also of Lyceum, as the Metroil Best Goalkeeper and Arellano University as the Easter Fair Play awardee.