CVFA booters try to keep finals bid alive as they face NOFA team anew

CVFA head coach Martin Ferrer discusses the play with his players during the halftime break of their match against NOFA in the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Under 15 Boys National Championship Visayas elimination, while assistant coach Jun Pintuan looks on. | Mars G. Alison

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Central Visayas Football Association (CVFA) Under 15 Boys have a chance to avenge their loss against the Negros Occidental Football Association (NOFA) as they face each other Saturday, August 3, 2019, 3 p.m. in the ongoing Visayas elimination of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Under 15 Boys National Championship. 

This will be the second time that both teams will be facing each other, but this time at the home pitch of the NOFA at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City. 

The two were each other’s first assignments in the first round of elimination wherein CVFA lost to NOFA, 0-1. 

Read more: Why C. Visayas FA players lost in home game against Negros Occ. FA

The CVFA must win their four remaining games including this one against NOFA  for a chance to advance to the national finals sometime in September. Only the top two teams in Group E which is the Visayas elimination can advance to the national championships. 

Currently, CVFA is at far third with four points equivalent to a win-loss-draw record of 1-2-1. NOFA, on the other hand, has not relinquished the top spot since the start of the tournament with 13 points equivalent to a 4-0-1 record. 

New team captain

The CVFA will have a new team captain in John Carlos Vitualla, as he is also the co-team captain of Vaugh York Pacaña. Other members of the team against NOFA are John William Oberes,  Nathan Khail Lingatong, Kristian Mari Lusoc, Renzo Miguel Javier, Edgar Paredes, Simon Andrei del Campo, Carsten Pumareja, Joseph Kyne Garces, John Mehl Rondrique, Alexandro Ledesma, Gianzo Custado, Zafra Mark Lester, Raphael Senining, James Benedict Rufin, John Philip Tabar and Gustavo Larrañaga. 

Aside from making changes in the lineup, Head Coach Martin Ferrer also made adjustments in the area where opponent’s had been scoring goals against them. 

“Ang adjustment sa backline, kato ang lapses sa right central back, ako na gi switch, kay duha na ka situation didto lang ghapon ni agi ang goal,” said Ferrer. 

(I made adjustments in the backline, I corrected the lapses in the right central back by making a switch because there have already been two situations where they scored a goal in that area.)

Ferrer added that he would also be transferring Zafra from holding midfield to striker./dbs