Philippine men’s football team’s Otu Banatao receives the Rising Star award in the Asean U-23 Championship. –PFF PHOTO
Otu Banatao received the Rising Star award for his important role in helping the Philippines post a fourth-place finish in the recent Asean U-23 Championship in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The 18-year-old striker born in Fairfax, Virginia was given the honor after scoring three goals during the competition that saw the Filipino U-23s qualify for the semifinals.
READ: Asean U-23: PH suffers semis heartbreak, aims to salvage third
Banatao had the second-most number of goals in the tourney behind Indonesia’s Jens Raven, who found the back of the net seven times.
He scored twice during the Philippines’ 2-0 win over Malaysia to open the Asean U-23 campaign, a result that was also key in securing a semis berth.
But the Philippines fell short against Vietnam, 2-1, in the semis before bowing to Thailand, 3-1, in a match for third place.
Banatao scored the team’s lone goal in the third place match, reducing the Thailand lead to 2-1 in the 79th minute. The Philippines, however, conceded a third, seven minutes later.
The near-podium finish has given the team something to look forward to going into the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this December.
Players under 22 years old or born on or after Jan. 1, 2003 are eligible for the biennial meet, thus Banatao can play for the Philippines since he was born in 2006.
No overage players will be allowed to reinforce the teams for the SEA Games.
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