Chelsea reserve fires up RP XI

Fil-foreigner Chelsea FC reserve Phil Younghusband showed the wares of a top-notch player, scoring four goals in the RP team’s 7-0 rout of the Air Force team in a tune-up match at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos pitch in Bacolod Thursday.

Younghusband brandished impressive skills in his first outing with the national booters, leading them to the big romp over the country’s top senior club featuring a number of former national mainstays.

Men’s football in the Southeast Asian Games, open for players 23 and below, starts hostilities in the 23rd SEA Games tomorrow at the Panaad Sports Complex and at the Paglaum Stadium.

The Nationals begin their quest Wednesday against reigning champion Thailand.

In the final phase of their buildup for the biennial games, the RP booters figured in tune-up matches with the West Negros College team, the La Salle-Bacolod squad and the Air Force side.

Playing mostly with their reserves, the RP squad blanked West Negros College, 2-0, then beat La Salle, 3-2.

Coach Aris Caslib said his team showed its potential when he finally suited up his main men, led by Younghusband, versus the Airmen.

"He’s really good," said Philippine Football Federation executive vice president Tony Chua who flew in from Manila to watch the exhibition match.

"His game is really on a higher level. He could really boost our campaign in the Games," said Caslib.

Accounting for the team’s three other goals against Air Force were another Fil-Briton Chad Gould, Arnie Pasinabo and Ben Melendrez.

Aside from Younghusband and Gould, the team has four other Fil-foreign players in James Younghusband, Phil Greatwich, Felipo Bradio and Andy Prochnow.

A seventh Fil-foreign player in Chris Greatwich may miss the games as the talented midfielder is still playing with his Hartwick team in the US NCAA.