BGC-Taguig takes on Iloilo in AIA Vitality Men’s Kampeon Cup

MANILA, Philippines -- Bonifacio Global City (BGC)-Taguig finally got back to tormentor Cebu.

On Cebu’s home field at the Dynamic Herb-Borromeo Sports Complex in Talisay, BGC-Taguig stunned the home crowd with a 3-2 comeback win in the target time of the 2023 AIA Vitality Kampeon Cup.

Dean Ebarde struck from distance for the match-winning goal that sent BGC-Taguig to the finals for the third consecutive year. Except this time, they will be up against another regional power in Iloilo.

With the comeback period concept introduced for the first tie after taking inspiration from The Soccer Tournament in the United States, BGC-Taguig found themselves down 2-1 at the end of regulation.

In the comeback period, the leading team has to add one more goal to their regulation time tally to win the contest while the team catching up has to make up that deficit while adding one more. In order to make the match more interesting, a player from both sides is removed from the field of play at a certain interval.

BGC-Taguig’s Jesus Pacheco also scored from distance when both sides were down to six men to equalize at 2-2. Barely two minutes later with the teams down to five men apiece, Ebarde struck for gold.

BGC-Taguig will get a chance to take home a trophy denied to them first in their home field two years ago and then in Bacolod during last year’s AIA Vitality Kampeon Cup.

Their finals foe today at the Dynamic Herb-Borromeo Sports Complex will be Iloilo, which defeated Pampanga, 2-1, during the comeback period with a 4-3 man advantage.

The finals of the AIA Vitality Kampeon Cup will be played at 3:30 p.m. and streamed live from the Facebook page of the AIA 7’s Football League.