MANILA, Philippines – After a hot streak, team Philippines hit a wall of football power countries in the 2011 Homeless World Cup.
The Philippines took a beating from three European powerhouse and a South American dynasty as it yielded to Poland, 1-10, and Scotland, 2-7, Thursday and relented to Portugal, 4-6, and Brazil, 1-9, Friday.
But even as the squad–beefed up by eight, underprivileged yet talented kids from around the Philippines–failed to advance to the Homeless World Cup final, they already achieved more than what they did last year.
Last year’s team Philippines – a different cast from this year – bagged the Host Cup for a 25th place finish in Rio De Janeiro in Brazil.
This year in Paris, the Filipinos have the opportunity to place as high as 17th or even just the 24th place in the City Cup as they clash with Italy and six other countries in the annual tournament intended to fight poverty through football.
Co-skipper Janrick Soriano (Negros Occidental) and Jeffrey Guelas (Manila) lead the squad, who came to be known as the crowd darlings among the 48 participating countries as the boys were cheered on by hundreds of Filipinos at the event Arena shadowed by the Eiffel Tower.
Berth Anthony Sienes (Manila Boys Town), Jeffrey De Castro (Cainta, Rizal), Ricardo Padilla Jr. (Pangasinan), Aljohn Matulac (Estancia, Iloilo), John “Putot” Celiz (Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo) and Michael Rojo (Negros Occidental) complete the Homeless World Cup team, mentored by coach Rudy Del Rosario.