ADC staves off feisty Enderun, rules PFF Futsaliga Men’s Division

Bannered by Philippine football legend Stephan Schröck, the Azkals Development Club survived a gritty, never-say-die Enderun Colleges side, 5-4, to capture the PFF Futsaliga Men’s Division title presented by the Philippine Sports Commission at the Philsports Arena.

“I’m just a crazy old man who loves football so much and wants to play everything there is, and that keeps me going,” said Schröck, a 13-year veteran of the Philippine men’s national football team, after the final.

A “crazy old man” indeed, as the 39-year-old Schröck delivered one of the most memorable performances of the tournament — a hat-trick on the futsal court, on the national stage, against opponents more than a decade younger, as if it were just another ordinary night for him.

And through Schröck’s undying commitment to the beautiful game, a new Philippine futsal star emerged in Christian Gabriel Vendiola — a dynamic all-around player who finished the tournament with 15 goals while excelling in scoring, passing, defending, and even goalkeeping during ADC’s defining moment.

“Muntik pa kaming mahabol. Pero ginawa pa rin namin yung best para ma-secure yung

lamang namin,” said Vendiola, who was named Men’s Division Most Valuable Player.

After ten minutes of back-and-forth action between the undefeated top seed and one of the country’s strongest futsal varsity programs, Schröck broke the deadlock by slipping past the defense of Dominic Tom on the left wing and firing a shot from an acute angle that bounced off goalkeeper Kiefer Gensaya and into the net.

Four minutes later, Schröck doubled the lead after drawing a foul from Shane Clemente on the left flank, blasting the ensuing free kick from well beyond the penalty arc.

ADC appeared to put the game firmly under control in the 17th minute when Bryan Buergo finished through the legs of Gensaya off a transition pass from Vendiola.

But Enderun refused to back down.

Ghanaian speedster Theo Appiah reignited hope for the Titans before halftime, scoring off a quick one-two play with Tom.

Still, Schröck and Vendiola continued to torment the Enderun defense. The pair combined beautifully in the 29th minute, leading to Schröck’s hat-trick and restoring ADC’s commanding lead.

Ordinarily, that would have ended the contest. But Enderun lived up to its “Titans” moniker.

In the 32nd minute, Clemente unleashed a long-range strike from midcourt, while Appiah later cut ADC’s advantage to just one goal after another clinical one-two exchange with Sean Francisco.

The game quickly turned into a frantic dogfight.

Buergo restored ADC’s breathing room immediately after a timeout, finishing off Vendiola’s third assist of the night. Yet Enderun continued to attack relentlessly, and with just 47 seconds remaining, Appiah completed his hat-trick following another combination play with Tom, once again threatening ADC’s grip on the championship.

Then came the dramatic twist.

With only 26 seconds left, ADC goalkeeper Arjun Lasco — the league’s top keeper after

conceding just 12 goals prior to the final — was shown a red card after provoking an

altercation with Enderun’s Jean Marc Sayegh during a loose-ball sequence involving Vendiola.

Without a substitute goalkeeper available and Enderun pressing desperately for an equalizer, Vendiola, playing between the sticks for the first time in the season, volunteered to step into goal.

The gamble paid off.

With Enderun seeking to force extra time, Tom broke free down the left flank and fired a

dangerous shot on target. But Vendiola came up with the decisive save, using his body to deny the Enderun captain and completing a remarkable full-circle performance that saw him fulfill every role on the futsal court.

“Yung sipa ng Enderun, kinakabahan din ako siyempre,” Vendiola admitted after the match, still shaken by the save. “Hindi ako keeper eh. Ayun, buti nga na-save ko at safe na.”

Schröck, meanwhile, expressed gratitude after adding another accolade to his illustrious

football career.

“We are so grateful that we have a stage like this where we can perform and showcase what we’re working on. A big shoutout to the PFF and PSC for having this initiative,” he said. “For us, it was about being grateful and competitive to be part of this, and we’re so happy that we won.”

Three months. Thirty-two teams across four divisions. One hundred forty-four matches,

seventy-five of which were decided by three goals or fewer. Truly, it was a season to

remember.

And it was a fitting finale for the inaugural PFF Futsaliga — a league born from the collective vision of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and the many passionate men and women who saw the immense potential of futsal in the country, especially after the Philippines hosted its first-ever FIFA World Cup event, the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup, in November and December.