The Central Visayas Football Association (CVFA) Under 15 Boys prepare to take on Negros Oriental Siquijor Regional Football Association (NOSIRFA) at the Silliman University Ball Field in Dumaguete City. | Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Central Visayas Football Association (CVFA) Under 15 Boys selection bowed to the Negros Oriental Siquijor Regional Football Association (NOSIRFA), 1-2, in the ongoing Visayas eliminations of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Under 15 Boys National Championship held at the Silliman University Ball Field in Dumaguete City.
The CVFA failed in its quest to finish the first round of elimination in the second spot as it remains at third with four points following a 1-2-1 win-loss-draw record.
Read more: CVFA: Goal is to finish top two after first round
“First half we dominated the game but it took a while for the boys to adjust. Despite that we still had a lot of chances, we made shots on goal, unfortunately they just went to the keeper,” said head coach Martin Ferrer in an interview with Cebu Daily News Digital.
NOSIRFA scored the first goal of the match on a counterattack in the 31st minute resulting from a miscommunication between the CVFA goalie and defense.
Despite the rain flooding the field in the second half, CVFA managed to score an equalizer via a goal from Kristian Mari Lusoc who received a corner from John Andrew Mandawe.
“We managed to dominate the game even if the field was already flooded. They just had one chance, one counterattack at the 80th minute, then they made a corner twice, and sad to say we committed a handball inside the penalty box,” said Ferrer.
John Carlos Vitualla was called for the handball and NOSIRFA converted the penalty to seal its win.
“But overall, our boys played well, there is the hunger to win. Unluckily, we just didn’t get it,” said Ferrer.
According to Ferrer, one factor to their loss was that they were not able to practice for the whole week prior to this match because there was no field available.
The CVFA will start the second round of elimination by travelling to Bacolod to face Negros Occidental Football Association (NOFA) at the Panaad Stadium on August 23. /dbs