Stephan Schröck delivered a vintage performance as the Azkals Development Club survived a fierce Enderun Colleges comeback to secure a dramatic 5–4 victory in the inaugural PFF Futsaliga Men’s Division finals presented by the Philippine Sports Commission at the Philsports Arena.

The Philippine football icon produced a hat-trick in the championship match, guiding ADC to an undefeated campaign and the league’s first-ever men’s division title. Schröck, who spent 13 years with the Philippine men’s national football team, once again showcased his enduring passion for the sport while competing against significantly younger opponents.

“I’m just a crazy old man who loves football so much and wants to play everything there is, and that keeps me going,” Schröck said after the final.

ADC also drew a major boost from Christian Gabriel Vendiola, who emerged as one of the tournament’s breakout stars. Vendiola finished the competition with 15 goals and delivered a complete performance in the final, contributing in attack, defense, and ultimately in goal during the decisive closing moments.

Schröck Leads Early as ADC Takes Control

The tightly contested final remained scoreless for the opening 10 minutes before Schröck finally broke through, finishing from a difficult angle after slipping past Enderun captain Dominic Tom. Four minutes later, Schröck doubled ADC’s advantage by converting a powerful long-range free kick.

ADC appeared to seize control when Bryan Buergo made it 3–0, finishing a transition move created by Vendiola. Despite the early deficit, Enderun refused to fade, as Ghanaian standout Theo Appiah pulled one back before halftime through a quick passing exchange with Tom.

ADC restored momentum early in the second half when Schröck completed his hat-trick following another combination with Vendiola, giving his side a renewed cushion. However, Enderun continued to push forward, responding through Shane Clemente and Appiah to keep the championship contest alive deep into the match.

Buergo added another crucial goal for ADC after receiving Vendiola’s third assist of the night, but Enderun’s relentless pressure never eased.

Vendiola’s Late Heroics Seal Championship

With less than a minute remaining, Appiah completed his own hat-trick, trimming ADC’s lead to just one goal and setting up a frantic finish inside the packed arena.

The match took a dramatic turn with only 26 seconds left when ADC goalkeeper Arjun Lasco was shown a red card following an altercation during a loose-ball sequence. With no substitute goalkeeper available, Vendiola volunteered to step into goal despite not playing the position at any point during the season.

Enderun immediately created one final opportunity, with Tom breaking free and firing a dangerous shot on target. Vendiola produced the decisive save, preserving ADC’s narrow lead and sealing the championship.

“Muntik pa kaming mahabol. Pero ginawa pa rin namin yung best para ma-secure yung lamang namin,” Vendiola said after the match. “Hindi ako keeper eh. Ayun, buti nga na-save ko at safe na.”

Following the victory, Schröck expressed gratitude for the opportunity to compete in the league’s inaugural season and praised the support of the Philippine Football Federation and the PSC.

“We are so grateful that we have a stage like this where we can perform and showcase what we’re working on,” Schröck said. “For us, it was about being grateful and competitive to be part of this, and we’re so happy that we won.”

Despite the narrow loss, Enderun captain Dominic Tom commended his team’s effort. “We only had one goal: to win the championship,” he said. “Knowing that this is a new league, a very big league, it really inspired us to do a lot more. Congrats to ADC — we’ll bounce back next season.”

Earlier in the day, the University of Asia and the Pacific secured the bronze medal with a 2–0 win over Philippine Women’s University, while Tondo FC claimed the Plate title over the PUP Radicals. MJ Libre finished the tournament as the Golden Boot winner.

The inaugural PFF Futsaliga season featured 32 teams across four divisions and concluded with a championship finale that underscored the growing momentum of futsal in the Philippines.