The Azkals Development Team closed out its impressive campaign with a 2-0 blanking of Stallion-Laguna last Monday in the Philippines Football League 2020 season at PFF national training center in Carmona, Cavite.
Jarvey Gayoso and Carlo Dorin found the back of the net as ADT once again delivered another strong second half showing for its third straight win, finishing its campaign with nine points.
Yrick Gallantes was involved on both goals assisting on Dorin’s goal before winning the penalty that Gayoso duly converted.
“Our players just keep on getting better and better and it was a professional job by inexperienced and non-professional players,” sakd ADT and national coach Scott Cooper. “We keep three clean sheets in a row and that is difficult as well.”
Cooper believes the future is bright for the ADT players. But the coach also tempered expectations saying the youngsters still have their work cut out for them.
“It just makes you wonder (what would happen) how this team would perform if they were given six to seven more months,” said Cooper. “You have to be proud of them, but let’s not get carried away because they still have a long way to go.”
Stallion actually had the chance to score the go-ahead goal in the seventh minute but midfielder Simen Lyngbo cleared the ball from the goalline.
ADT was temporarily in second place with its 3-2 win-loss record and might just stay there depending on the result between newly-crowned PFL champion United City FC and Kaya-Iloilo FC later in the night in the competition presented by Qatar Airways.
The SLFC footballers played with great discipline, resolve and composure and had their rivals on their toes virtually throughout the match but just could not find the back of the net in suffering their third loss.
“Obviously we were outplayed,” said coach Ernie Nierras, whose squad still has to play Mendiola on Thursday.”But we will learn from this mistakes and avoid the same mistakes next season.”
Nierras said the absence of striker Abou Sy greatly impacted Stallion’s campaign.
“It was so obvious of the impact of not having Abou on our lineup,” he said. “We didn’t have all the players we wanted so it’s frustrating in a way and for the players as well.”