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| Andrew Wolff's team reigned in the Azkals Celebrity Cup. Chooks-to-Go |
MANILA—It was a special evening of football on Sunday as past, present, and even future stars of the sport joined popular celebrities in sending their well-wishes to the Azkals 7's team through the Azkals Celebrity Cup at the McKinley Hill Stadium in Taguig.
The day began with a youth tournament named "The Azkals Tournament" featuring under-15 and under-17 clubs in a game of seven-a-side football.
The exhibition match was next between the new Azkals and the AIA 7's Super League All-Stars.
Led by former national team players Stephan Schrock and Misagh Bahadoran, the 2024 incarnation of the Azkals showed their might by beating the All-Stars, 5-3.
The match was a tune-up for the Azkals ahead of the Asia 7's Championship in Kuala Lumpur later this week.
According to AIA 7's Football League founder Anton Del Rosario, who will also serve as the commissioner for the continental event, the Azkals will fly to Kuala Lumpur in batches, but everyone will be there in time for their opening match on Thursday.
The main event, though, was the Celebrity Cup itself with Del Rosario, Schrock, Bahadoran, and MJ Libre teamed up with the likes of former Philippine women's team member Natasha Alquiros-Deyto, former national rugby team member Andrew Wolff, former national taekwondo team member Pauline Lopez, and actor Daniel Matsunaga in a special round-robin event.
The revelation, though, was comedian and TV host Ryan Bang, who was named to the Mythical 7.
Many of the crowd at the said pitch were surprised that Bang, who still did some of his comedic acts during one match, actually has legit football skills.
"I've been hearing about his game, and it was great to finally get it out," Del Rosario said of the Pinoy Big Brother alumnus.
Save for Bang's moments, even with another comedian, Daniel "Tugue Zombie" Oke, joining, all the four participating teams played serious seven-a-side football.
In the end, Wolff's team won the Celebrity Cup with Wolff himself, who once played for Team Socceroo in the UFL while juggling his stuff with the Philippine Volcanoes during the early 2010s, as the MVP.
Del Rosario hopes that the celebrities' participation could pave the way for them to promote football in their circles of influence.
"These people understand that something like this can influence the next generation of footballers. All of these people want to do good, and we're all in this together. We all want to use football as a way to project towards our community," he further said.
Follow him on X: @IvanSaldajeno
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