ABS-CBN Sports on Mar 01, 2020 01:37 PM
Mendiola FC 1991 supporter Mr. Ricardo Penson receives home kit from coach Dan Padernal, Mendiola FC 1991 President Ramoncito Inocencio, and Management Team Leader Erwin Guevarra Isla. With them is Armando Bajacan, Jr. of Focus Athletics.
Mendiola FC 1991, one of the clubs playing in the Philippines Football League (PFL), has announced their lineup of players for PFL Season 2020 and unveiled their home and away kits for the coming PFL season.
The current team is composed of Season 2019 players Niño Datoy (goalkeeper), Souleyman Mbouombouo Ndepe (center back), Jay-R Sandoval (right back), PJ Fadrigalan (center back), Aljo Paul Zabala (left back), Paolo Javier (left back), Louie Joshua Polinag (right back), Aaron Altiche (midfielder), Nimrod Balatbat (midfielder), Jay Shaun Soberano (midfielder), Rey Franco Miguel De La Torre (midfielder), Hamed Hajimehdi (midfielder), and Jim Ashley Flores (forward); transferees Ray Joseph Joyel (goalkeeper), Marvin Bricencio (midfielder), John Celiz (midfielder), Apiah Tonaldo (forward), and John Nico Macapal (forward); and new players JRV Malayo (center back), Dave Deloso (midfielder) and Sean Epili (midfielder).
“We have strengthened our lineup with a fine mix of standouts from the college tournaments, tough and experienced local players and strong foreign players,” said Mr. Erwin Guevarra Isla, Mendiola FC 1991 Management Team Leader.
Former national team player and National University coach Dan Padernal is the head coach with San Beda University mentors Nhiboy Pedimonte and Jake Cuaycong as assistant coaches and Anton Albao as the goalkeeping coach.
The club is backed by Penson & Company Inc. (PCI), the firm of businessman and sports philanthropist Mr. Ricardo Penson who explained that his role in the professional football club is the next logical step as he is already involved with the San Beda University Red Booters. He said, “As longtime supporters of the San Beda University Seniors NCAA Football Team, strengthening Mendiola FC 1991 provides a full growth cycle/portal for the sport and the players.”
For the second year in a row, Mendiola FC 1991 will be donning kits created by FAT Indonesia. The home kit is in the predominant hue of red — the color of NCCA football champion San Beda University, the alma mater of most of the players and the origin of the club. Meanwhile, the away kit is in white, which is also the school color of San Beda. “The kits were designed with the theme of ‘beat of music’ in mind because beat is rich in spirit. We hope that Mendiola FC 1991 can voice their enthusiasm to become champions of PFL 2020,” said FAT Indonesia CEO Mr. Franky Adi Thama. Mendiola FC 1991 is the first team that FAT has collaborated with outside Indonesia.
Focus Athletics is also supporting the squad by providing gym facilities, physical therapy and medical services. “We want to help the players sustain their fitness as they embark on their new campaign,” said Focus Athletics’ Manager Armando Bajacan, Jr.
In 2019, Mendiola FC 1991 entered the semifinals of the PFL Copa Paulino Alcantara where the team finished third place. They also scored big wins at the Youth Football League (YFL) with their U15 team making it to the YFL semis and their U17 and U19 emerging as champions.
For 2020, Mendiola FC 1991 wants to outdo last year’s performance. Mr. Isla said, “We are hoping to be among the Top Three in the PFL and give the strong teams like Ceres FC and Kaya FC more intense games like the matches that we drew with them in 2019. As far as our other teams are concerned, we are fielding a complete 25-man lineup composed of former San Beda University players at the Corporate Football League. We are still aiming to be among the top teams in the Youth Football League (YFL)…. Despite logistical challenges, Mendiola FC 1991 remains standing and proud. Our players, coaches and management are committed to investing our time and effort. At the end of the day, we fulfill our dreams to support the Filipino football community.”
