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Cebu, BGC in Kampeon Cup 'Group of Death'

Rick Olivares - Philstar.com
Cebu, BGC in Kampeon Cup 'Group of Death'
From left to right: Ms. Paolo of Team BGC, head of AIA's health and wellness Kats Cajucom, AIA's head of branding and communications Bernadette Chincuanco, Anton del Rosario, Palaro managing director Ethan Lee, and Coach Bing Colina of Cebu at the 2nd AIA Vitality Kampeon Cup presser at Studio 300.

MANILA, Philippines – When the 2nd AIA Vitality Kampeon Cup kicks off Friday, October 14, at the La Provincia Polo Field in Bacolod, all eyes will be on the “Group of Death” of the six-city seven-a-side football national championship.

Group B, the media-proclaimed “Group of Death”, lists defending champions Cebu along with Iloilo and last year’s first runner-up Bonifacio Global City.

Cebu Coach Bing Colina expressed concern that his squad, which contains no holdovers from their inaugural Kampeon Cup champions, might not have enough firepower to stave off BGC, which features former Azkals mainstay Anton del Rosario and former Kaya forward Figo El Habib among others.

“We have a new team,” expressed Colina with some concern. Moreover, the coach has been in Manila for the last few weeks and has only been able to instruct his wards via mobile phone. 

“We are eyeing revenge,” del Rosario succinctly put it. However, he warned of taking Cebu lightly.

“When we played them in 2019 (the date of the first Kampeon Cup), we didn’t know anyone on their team and yet, they beat us.”

Iloilo, a traditional hotbed of football talent, joins the group.

Over at Group A will be teams from San Carlos, Pampanga and Bacolod. The Bacolod squad will feature a guest player in Azkals team captain Stephan Schrock. The Filipino-German will be unable to play in this weekend’s Philippines Football League owing to a suspension on account of the accumulation of yellow cards.

He will renew acquaintances with del Rosario, who he played with against Sri Lanka during the 2011 FIFA World Cup Qualification Rounds.

Added Bernadette Chincuanco, head of branding and communications for AIA Philippines, one of the leading insurance companies not only in the Philippines, but also in the world: “We believe in the vision of seven-a-side football including the 7s Football Tournament and the Kampeon Cup. We know it is a growing sport and we hope soon, an Olympic sport. We also love how the 7s and the Kampeon Cup is expanding nationwide into a full grassroots program and we are pleased to be a partner."

The Kampeon Cup will be a single round robin affair, with the top two squads advancing to the semifinals and with the winners advancing to the finals.

The 2nd AIA Vitality Kampeon Cup is also sponsored by Smart Communications, the Palaro Application, Studio 33, Skull Candy, Blaze Athletics and adidas.

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