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| More than 1,600 people attended Sunday night's UFL schedule. UFL |
What a day it was!
Feb. 7 will be etched in the memory of the Filipino football fans as the second day of the UFL Cup, billed as Super Sunday, was a resounding success.
As a matter of fact, the said three-game schedule is a part of a bigger Super Sunday, in which the new season of UAAP Football also kicked off a couple of kilometers at the east at the McKinley Hill Stadium.
With 1,619 rabid football fans in attendance in Rizal Memorial, the triple-header was as good as advertised, highlighted by the much anticipated rematches in last season's cup semifinals.
UFL General Manager Rely San Agustin was amazed at the turnout last Sunday. for him, it felt it was like the Cup final considering the fixtures that feature five of the top six clubs in the league last season.
"It's only the first week," the former Ateneo custodian quipped, noting that on the opener last Saturday was attended by about 800 fans, bringing the total attendance on the first week to more than 2,400.
He cited a couple of factors, such as the loaded fixtures and the free admission that got their attendance to such figures, the largest opening weekend the league had witnessed. They are working out a plan for the second week of fixtures due to the immense success this day had.
He also revealed that the league will work out a scheme with Sports5 this season, the last under their five-year deal signed last 2011. He thanked the people who volunteered their time to promote the game, such as the videographers and photographers who made the highlights possible.
When asked about the National League in 2017, San Agustin throws its support on what the PFF is doing, even admitting that some UFL Clubs are interested to play for that.
Kaya skipper Aly Borromeo was also praising positives about the turnout, despite the reigning cup holders getting pipped by Stallion that day.
UFL Cup opening week by the numbers
1,619 - Crowd attendance at the Rizal Memorial Stadium during Super Sunday. As stated by Ivan Gayares, the stadium public address announcer. The four-figure attendance was the largest in any season opener since the league began it's cup and league format in 2009.
458 - Days since Carli De Murga last played a competitive match. After sitting out the entire 2015 season due to the ACL injury he inflicted in the 2014 FA League Cup Final, the dynamic sweeper came back with a bang with a brace to pull the plug on Loyola.
4 - Different scorers in a single match. This occurred twice in Matchday 1. Both came from the same group (Global and Green Archers United in Group B).
0 - Draws made on opening day. The first six matches of the season produced six winners and six losers, with an combined scoreline of 18-2. Zero was also the score of the losing sides on the very first day of the Cup.
Follow him on Twitter: @KevinLEstrada
Follow him on Twitter: @KevinLEstrada
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