Post-Game Review: Manila Montet Shows Heart in Challenging Cebu Away Game
In a league where the difference between the top teams and the bottom teams is huge and big scores are common, many expected a blowout when Manila Montet played its first away game in its history in Cebu. However, that didn’t happen. Almost all thought we would face a record loss or at least a double-digit score, but it didn’t happen. Even though we lost, and a loss is still a loss, we are very proud of our boys’ performance yesterday. They fought hard, never gave up, and showed what this club is all about.
This hasn’t been true for the whole season. We’ve had games where our players seemed almost uninterested and just walked on the field, which everyone noticed. But yesterday was different. The team spirit was amazing. Congrats to the players and the coaching team, who are clearly doing a great job. The team is slowly getting better both physically and mentally. Every player, whether on the field or the bench, showed a great attitude.
We made some changes in the lineup, and these new players, whether on the field or the bench, are more motivated, respect the club, and show our club values. They bring a whole new spirit to the team. Our fans are starting to notice this change, and it makes all the difference on the field.
In the game, we mostly defended and maybe didn’t even get a single shot on goal. But we achieved our goal: avoiding the big loss everyone expected. Cebu had a goal that should have counted, but without VAR, it was missed. However, a penalty given against us in the first half was one more time not right. This season, we’ve seen similar bad calls against us certainly for two main reasons. First, we defend a lot, so we have more chances to give away penalties. Second, as newcomers, referees find it easier to call fouls against us. This will change in the future.
Overall, we’re very happy with the team’s progress and spirit. Well done to everyone involved.