A tough debut campaign in the Philippines Football League brought to you by Qatar Airways has only given Mendiola FC fuel to reach new heights in the upcoming season.
Mendiola finished fifth, but showed marked improvement in the Copa Paulino Alcantara, earning draws against league and cup champions Ceres-Negros FC and the Philippine Under-22 National Team on its way to a semifinal appearance.
Mendiola traces its roots from the multi-titled program of San Beda University in Manila. The club is looking to carry that winning tradition to the PFL.
“We carry the team’s camaraderie from San Beda,” said Mendiola assistant coach Christopher Pedimonte in a recent episode of the Eat, Sleep, Breathe Football podcast. “We are a team but we are more like a family, we play for each other, we die for each other. That‘s the best attribute of the team.”
Following the approval of training under strict health protocols, Mendiola has been working on its conditioning and sharpness at the PFF National Training Center.
Iranian midfielder Hamed Hajimehdi said the team is eager to prove its worth this season.
“It was the first time for us to be back on the field,” said Hajimehdi. “When we went to the field, we were so happy that we did not want to leave.”
Bracing for a title challenge, Mendiola bolstered its squad by signing Stephen Appiah, John Celis, and former San Beda goalkeeper Kenry Balobo. Ricardo Sendra has left the club joining Stallion Laguna, while Roberto Corsame Jr. transferred to Kaya FC-Iloilo
“We have good players that are filling the gap,” said Pedimonte. “We are very excited to start because we believe that we have a good chance this season.”
Hajimahdi is optimistic Mendiola can pick up from where it left off in the Cup.