3 LFL Teams Participate in 1st Luzon Aboitiz Cup

ACF Real Molinillo in action against FC Reigning Kickers in the Aboitiz Football Cup Luzon.

October 14, 2018 – Three teams of the Lipa Football League participated in the first-ever staging of the Aboitiz Football Cup in Luzon. The competition is now onto its 20^th year, having first been played in Cebu City where it has become the city’s most prestigious football competition. This year is the first time the tournament is being held in Luzon.

The tournament, which features competitions in several age groups, formally opened yesterday at the Aboitiz Pitch at The Outlets at Lipa, which is the tournament’s home in Luzon. The opening ceremonies were immediately followed by the U-15 festival which was won by De la Salle Santiago Zobel School.

Today’s event was the Men’s Open festival which attracted a total of nine teams. Three of these are members of the Lipa Football League: ACF Real Molinillo de Lipa, reigning Lipa Football League champion FC Reigning Kickers and Green Stallions FC, the college team of De la Salle Lipa.

In a curious turn of events, after the drawing of lots was held before the start of the competition, all three teams found themselves bundled together in Group A along with Acquire FC of Laguna.

ACF Real Molinillo defeated FC Reigning Kickers in its opening match and, despite losing to Acquire FC, nipped Green Stallions FC, 1-nil, in its final match to go through along with the team from Laguna to the semi-finals. For the other two Lipa Football League clubs, there was valuable experience gained that would surely abet their respective campaigns in the LFL.

In the semi-finals, there was only going to be one winner when ACF Real Molinillo de Lipa faced perennial top flight champion Philippine Air Force in the semi-finals. The Airmen went on to defeat the University of Batangas main campus’ team to claim the historic first Aboitiz Cup Luzon men’s open category championship.

ACF Real Molinillo de Lipa pose for posterity after its penalty shootout loss to Acquire FC in the play-off for 3rd.

In the play-off for third, ACF Real Molinillo de Lipa lost to Acquire FC via the dreaded penalty shootout to finish the competition at fourth place. Luis Canlas and Renz Dimaano scored from the spot while Ezekiel Terrones, Nestor Natanauan Jr. and Joseph Victor Medina all missed.