Bukidnon FA rules Mindanao Cup
Squeezing the best from its key players, the Bukidnon Football Association (BUFA) topped the first Mindanao Cup by defeating Davao South Regional FA White, 4-0, in the finals held recently at the Tionko Field in Davao City.
Apart from booking a trip to the Luzon Cup in Tarlac late next month, they will bring home P30,000 worth of football equipment from grassroots football godfather Ricky Yanson, the Negros Occidental Football Association (NOFA) president who organized the tournament that followed a nine-a-side format.
Striker Kurbe Dairo of Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School (OLLES) issued a pair of superb assists and capped his game-long brilliance with a long-range rocket that more than guaranteed victory for BUFA in the 40th minute.
Also representing the Bukidnon squad were players from Manolo Fortich Central School, Plantation Elementary School in Camp Philips and Del Monte School aside from OLLES.
Organized by the Davao South Regional Football Association (DSRFA) and NOFA, the Mindanao
Cup is a spin-off of the successful NOFA Invitational Cup in Bacolod City, an annual age-group tourney since 2016.
According to Yanson, the objective of the Mindanao Cup is to find hidden gems who can someday play for the national football team.
“Our goal is to develop young Filipino talents who can hopefully play for our national team in the future,’’ said Yanson, who partnered with DSRFA president Engr. Henry Sabate to stage the tournament.
Dairo navigated through the mayhem and found striker Cade Sanchez of Del Monte School for that goal that broke the ice in the 37th minute.