A first international hat-trick by veteran striker Ian Araneta lifted the Philippines to a resounding 5-0 victory over Macau Tuesday night at the close of the Long Teng Cup international football tournament at the Kaohsiung National Stadium in Taiwan.
The 28-year-old Araneta struck in the 13th minute then scored two more goals in the second half as the Filipinos won convincingly in their final tuneup before they plunge into action in the Suzuki Cup Asean Football Championship next week.
Benefiting from the intense preparation that the RP Team has undertaken the past 10 months, Araneta emerged as the top scorer for the squad with four goals in the four-nation tournament.
The RP booters finished their campaign in the four-nation tournament in third spot with one win, one draw and one loss.
“We learned a lot from the tournament,” said team manager Dan Palami. “We know we can score goals. We know this team has a big fighting heart. We just need to maintain a high level of play for 90 minutes.”
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