27 February 2012

Despite short preparation, CFA Under-14 tops ranking of PFF Regional Football Festival

By Cheska D. Geli

Monday, February 27, 2012

THE Cebu Football Association Under-14 Elite team topped the Philippine Football Federation Regional Festival of Football yesterday at San Carlos City.

The weekend tournament was a developmental game, which serves as talent identification for the national pool in the Boys Under-14 and Girls Under-13, which are set to compete in international tournaments.

Team Cebu won all of its four games despite the short period of preparation.

Cebu defeated Negros Occidental Football Association,1-0, in the first day. In the second day, it fished another win over the Iloilo Football Association, 3-0, and completed the sweep when it routed Negros Oriental Football Association, 1-0 and Leyte Football Association, 9-0.

Head coach Jong Perez and his assistant Totot Colina said they were not expecting this finish by team Cebu, which was only formed two weeks ago.

“We were not expecting this. We simplified our game plan in our functional drills during the short period of our practice. Unexpectedly, the plan worked and it showed how our players gelled well as seen in their performance as a team,” said Perez.

Perez commended his boys for a good job in attacking and defending. He added that the technical level of his individual players as well as the tactical skills, were also impressive.

Meanwhile, CFA Girls Under-13 placed second to NOFA, whose players are mostly from San Carlos City.

The girls had one win, one draw and two losses as they played NOFA four times in the event. Since the two were the only teams in the girls division, they needed to play four matches before a winner was declared.

San Carlos and Davao City held held simultaneous festivals of football, while Luzon will conduct it next week.

Among the important components of the festival is the skills test, a series of drills for the kids, which is the basis of the coaches who scout for players.

The coaches will submit to PFF a list of recommended players who will be called in the future to be part of the training pool.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on February 27, 2012.

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