NOFA Head Coach Ronald Allan Treyes, (from left) NOFA Assistant Coach Ian Combate, Tournament General Coordinator Archie Reyes, CVFA Head Coach Martin Ferrer, CVFA Team Captain Vaughn Pacaña, CVFA President Rodney Orale and CVFA Board Member Guy Ceniza take time for a photo opportunity after the June 28 press launching of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Under 15 Boys National Championship Visayas elimination. | Mars G. Alison
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Central Visayas Football Association (CVFA) Under 15 Boys selection will figure in a sort of mini “El Classico” when they go up against the U15 Boys selection of the Negros Occidental Football Association (NOFA) in their first match in the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Under 15 Boys National Championship Visayas elimination.
CVFA team captain Vaughn Pacaña has appealed for the Cebuanos to support them in their first match Saturday, June 29, 2019, 3:30 p.m. at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Despite having only two weeks to prepare, both CVFA and NOFA head coaches are eager to take their chances in this tournament where the top two teams will advance to the National Finals sometime in September in Manila.
Ronald Allan Treyes, NOFA head coach, said that he only formed his team this week where he identified elite players who had played before.
“It is very tough on us especially because of budget and the schools are very difficult, players come from different areas, but NOFA will try our very best to be competitive in this tournament,” said Treyes, who also serves as the general secretary for NOFA.
Treyes said that they had spared their boys born 2004 for this tournament except for school-based tournaments.
The NOFA selection comes from various areas and schools in Negros Occidental—Escalante, Sagay, Don Bosco Victorias, La Salle, UNO-R, Trinity, West Negros, Bago and Puentevedra.
Read more: Football tryouts for a spot in Cebu Elite U-15 team on
The CVFA, on the other hand, is made up of players from Don Bosco Technical College, Sacred heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, KN Ferraren, Don Bosco Boys Home and Balamban FC.
According to CVFA Head Coach Martin Ferrer, they formed the team back in April after tryouts were held.
But, it was only last Monday, that the team got together to train.
“My team is composed of players Born 2004-2005, they’re the elite, we’re dealing with different kinds of behavior, we’re still adjusting but we’re ready,” said Ferrer.
He also said that the Visayas had been considered as the powerhouse for the sport and that his team going up against NOFA would be sort of an “El Classico,” referring to the age-old rivalry of Cebu and Bacolod.
“We’re still slowly building our chemistry,” said Pacaña of their preparation for this tournament which also has Luzon and Mindanao eliminations.
CVFA Board Member Archie Reyes who serves as the general coordinator for the tournament explained that qualifying teams would be divided into two during the national finals.
The top team from the Visayas will join the top two teams from Luzon while the second ranked Visayas team will join the top two teams from Mindanao.
Visayas teams belong to Group E in the eliminations. Aside from CVFA and NOFA, other teams in the group are Eastern Visayas RFA, Panay FA (Iloilo) and Negros Oriental-Siquijor RFA (NOSIRFA).
The eliminations will be played in a double round robin home and away format.
Aside from CVFA vs. NOFA on Saturday, June 29, 2019, EVRFA will also defend its hometurf against Iloilo.
Eliminations will be played every Saturday until September.
It is an 11-A-Side football tournament with 90 minutes to play, so 45 minutes per half./dbs