In a bizarre end to a drama-filled Crocodile Park Night Football League, Solido FC captured the overall title on a night they crashed out in the eliminations along with their bitter rivals Metro TMS.
The night started with both Solido FC and Metro TMS on collision course for a much-anticipated encounter that will determine the overall champion of this football trilogy. However, all that banished with a few matches left in the third leg’s elimination round as Solido, with only two wins to show in six elimination matches, bowed out first from a semis appearance that would have given them a psychological edge for the overall title.
For a fleeting moment, the title frenzy crept into the nerves of Metro TMS which needed only two draws in their final two matches in the eliminations round. Instead of playing to secure two draws, Metro TMS got all carried over with the prospects of snatching the title away from Solido and instead drew one but lost their final outing to Phl Rabies-Med Juris in a painful twist of fate that also booted them out of the semis and the title picture.
With Metro TMS also gone, Solido rolled out the celebration. Here’s a team which lost out of the semis but still got plenty to spare to take home the prestigious Crocodile Cup, a real crocodile head stuffed with a football, and the bragging rights as Kings of the Croc Field.
Solido FC team captain Boboy Arrieta, who had to attend to a business engagement and failed to suit up, arrived at a time when his team was going down. He watched intently from the sidelines hoping for a miracle. For a team leader, that was the hardest thing to do—just pray the other teams won’t catch up with you and not even suit up.
“I was already thinking wala na talaga. But then suddenly the guys came celebrating after the matches in the other field,” said Arrieta. “It feels great.”
“We played very tight, we did not have fun out there. Pus there are the defensive lapses we committed,” Metro TMS playing coach Eric Sedighpour said. “We will come back next time.”
Solido ended the football trilogy organized by Bravetower Events Promotions and Davao Crocodile Park with 95 points. They won the second leg and finished second in the first leg to Metro TMS which finished second overall with 85 points. Alia Orange took advantage of the ouster of Solido and Metro TMS to take home the third leg and end up at third overall with 70.
Belisario, Phl Rabies-Med Juris and Kingfisher tied for fourth with 55 points. KMMPC (45) finished 5th while FC Soriente and Club 34 (40) tied for 6th. Rounding up the standings are Fil-Chi, Central United, UIC, UM and DMMA.
Fil-Dutch Bayani Vandenbroek, German Dietmar Speckmaier and team captain Josef Montalan scored one goal each for Alia Orange to frustrate Kingfisher, a team composed of foreign students in Davao, in the third leg finale of this first ever night football tournament at the Davao Crocodile Park football field.
“We look forward to holding more tournaments here. We are thankful to the clubs for their support,” said Neil Bravo of the organizing Bravetower Events Promotions.(pr)
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