SU footballers shine as Buglas Filipinas win silver at 2025 Kanga Cup

Two young Sillimanian athletes, Kelsy Skye B. Anub and Chloe Belisse T. Pasana, helped power Buglas Filipinas to a silver medal finish at the 2025 Kanga Cup, held from July 14 to 21, in Canberra, Australia.

Anub, Grade 11, and Pasana, Grade 9, both students at SU and homegrown talents of Football Kings United FC (FKU FC) in Dumaguete City, were key players in the powerhouse Bacolod-based squad.

Kelsy Skye Anub (back, second left) and Chloe Belisse Pasana (front, second right) pose with the Buglas Filipinas Squad.

The Kanga Cup, hailed as the largest international youth football tournament in the Southern Hemisphere, brought together top young footballers from across the globe for a week-long competition in an 11-aside format.

Buglas Filipinas U15 Girls remained undefeated through the group stage and semifinals, ultimately falling in a hard-fought final against Rouse Hill Rams SC.

In an email correspondence, Anub expressed that she will never forget this experience.

“We faced challenges—from the weather to playing against teams of different levels—but we kept pushing and trusted one another. Thankfully, the odds were in our favor. It’s something I’ll carry with me forever,” she said.

Earlier in the tournament, Buglas Filipinas delivered a commanding 7-0 win over Pagewood Botany FC of New South Wales.

Buglas Filipinas and team rivals Pagewood Botany FC (New South Wales) share a post-match photo op after Buglas’ commanding 7-0 win.

The team’s run drew strong support from the Filipino-Australian community.

The girls’ home club, FKU FC, is a grassroots football program led by Coach Andy Mananquil and Assistant Coach Damian Nocete. It has long been committed to youth development, discipline, and community building in Dumaguete.