MindanaoToday.com | Maagad bros to lead Corpus boys in Singapore footie tilt Mar. 28-31
By: Jack Biantan
CAGAYAN de Oro City – Not one, two but three Maagad brothers will lead the young 11 footballers from Corpus Christi Elementary School football team that will compete in the 10th Junior Soccer School and League (JSSL) Singapore 7-Aside football tournament slated to start on Thursday (March 28) at different venues in Singapore.
The trio, Xylem, Zion, Ylva left for Singapore today with eight other Corpus players to beef up the Alabang, Muntinlupa based Paulstiga Soccer Academy (PSA) to compete in different different categories in this tournament considered as the largest youth football competition in Asia. More than 400 teams from all over the world with more than 6,000 players have signed up to join the tournament.
PSA is owned by former professional footballer, and now Philippine based Nigerian Paul Okwumabua who personally recruited the Corpus Christi players for the PSA after competing in different tournaments in Manila.
The Maagad bros left Cagayan de Oro for Singapore via Cebu City at noon Wednesday with their parents Luisito ‘Awing’ Maagad and Anna Mae Dongallo Maagad. They flew with other players and their parents.
Xylem Maagad will compete for PSA in the U11, with CdO City meet top scorer Francis Sanico, Vince Pasilan, defender Aendy Torralba, and goalkeeper Joaquim N. Sundalo.
Zion Maagad,and Franco Sevillejo will reinforce PSA in the U9 category, while John Victor Zeus Diacor and Nehemiah Roxas will play in the U8. The lone female booter in the group, Sophia Isabelle Sevillejo and the youngest of the Maagad brothers Ylva will see action in the U7.
All matches in the competition are 25 minutes long with the winners getting medals, trophies and souvenirs from the organizers.
This is for the first time for all these Corpus Christi players to will play abroad except for Zion Maagad, the second of the Maagad brothers. Zion played for the PSA U8 team last year in the JSSL Singapore after he was scouted during a tournament in Nabunturan Davao de Oro.
Awing Maagad and his wife Mae both Architects by profession, have been all out in their support for their football playing kids. Awing is personally coaching his kids from the start. He is the only Asia Football Confederation (AFC) C Licensed Architect in Cagayan de Oro City.
Awing was a football varsity at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City during his college years. He was the girls Futsal High School coach at the Xavier University. He got his football AFC C License last year. (jackbiantantambok@gmail.com)
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