(Eagle News)– Daniel Matsunaga’s team Naxional topped the Philippine leg of the Neymar five football tournaments after beating Tondo in the finals match on Saturday at Sparta in Mandaluyong City.
Naxional wins the first red bull Neymar Jr’s five to represent the country in the finals in Brazil.
Last Saturday, March 04, 2017, the crowd witnessed Naxional South American diner team led by Daniel Matsunaga, battled its way to victory against a tough fight with Tondo FC led by Dennis Balbin. Naxional will be the first ever representative of the Philippines to fly to Brazil and play among the 50 other countries in the upcoming international football tournament!
Naxional secured their spot after Hector Zaghi (naxional) outplayed Roberto Corsame (tondo fc) on a one-on-one tie-breaker match.
Neymar Jr’s five is the Brazilian forward’s signature football tournament which pits five-a-side teams in head-to-head in 10-minute matches with a twist. Every time one team scores, the opposition loses a player. It’s fast, technical, and tactical.
Eight teams squared off in Sparta Philippines, in Mandaluyong, for the finals of Neymar Jr’s five: laro, underground, Strafford, kidzania, el retiro, naxional, tondo fc, and manila tala.
One of biggest surprises of the finals was the addition of tondo fc, which stood in following the withdrawal of qualifying team, baggie fc. They proved to be the sentimental favorites for those who attended the February 25th’s qualifier, making their return to the tournament a welcome surprise.
The afternoon saw a series of round robin matches that ended with Naxional taking the victory following an intense match against Tondo FC. True to the nature of Neymar Jr’s five, the match was fast and intense, leading to a heated one-on-one draw that lasted well over two minutes.
1st place – Naxional
2nd place – Tondo Fc
3rd place – Manila Tala
Also included in Neymar Jr’s five’s finals were the Futkal Freestyle Football Championship; a freestyle exhibition that took place between matches. Eight participants squared off, showcasing their unique skill in handling a football.
Futkal freestyle competition:
1st place – dennis lucito
2nd place – dennis balbin
3rd place – ival de castro
Winning team, Naxional, is comprised of Miguel Artillera, Roberto Orlandez, Ahmed Hwedi, and former ULF stallion members, Hector Zaghi, Mark Daniel Rivera and Team Captain, Daniel Matsunaga. The team is supported by the Latin American bistro of the same name, which Matsunaga is part-owner of.
Naxional will compete at Neymar Jr’s five global finals in Brazil later this year.