CVFA booters in a bind as two must win elims matches draw near

Most of the players of the CVFA Under 15 Boys players may not be able to play in their last two must win eliminations matches.  | Contributed Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Miscues in the first elimination round have put the Central Visayas Football Association (CVFA) in a must win situation in its last two games in the ongoing Visayas elimination of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Under 15 Boys National Championships.

Not only would the CVFA booters need to win against the Negros Oriental Siquijor Regional Football Association (NOSIRFA) on Saturday, September 7, 2019, but they also have to win their final game against Panay FA on September 15, a Sunday. Both matches will be played at the Cebu City Sports Center.

But, the game against NOSIRFA is the most crucial because if CVFA loses, then it will no longer be in contention of advancing to the national finals in Manila.

But, that is not CVFA’s only problem. 

While the CVFA could lean on home support as its last two matches are home games, its biggest problem will be its lineup.

With the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (CESAFI) already starting its collegiate and high school football competitions on September 8, this means the CVFA will be losing majority of its lineup.

This, because those playing in the CESAFI are not allowed to play in other leagues or tournaments while the inter-school league is ongoing.

Majority of the booters manning the CVFA U15 are from Don Bosco Technical College (DBTC) and Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC). Both are CESAFI member schools and will be competing in the junior football tournament. In fact, the SHS-AdC is the defending junior football champions.

Read more: CVFA booters still need to win remaining games to stay in second spot

CVFA President Rodney Orale said that DBTC head coach Glen Ramos and CESAFI football tournament director Francis Ramirez were working out a plan to resolve this problem.

Orale added that they had also asked the parents of U15 national players—Kamil Jaser Amirul, Gianzo Custado and Simon Andrei del Campo, if their sons could come home for the September 7 match as it would be a very crucial one. 

The three are currently undergoing a training camp in Manila. 

Only the top two teams in the Visayas elimination will advanced to the national finals against the top teams from Luzon and Mindanao.

Currently, Negros Occidental Football Association (NOFA) is already assured of advancing to the national finals as it has consistently topped the standings and has now accumulated 16 points equivalent to its 5-1-1 win-loss draw record.

Even if NOFA loses its last match against Panay FA on September 8 at the Panaad Stadium, it is already assured of one of the slots to the national finals. 

The second slot is still up for grab among CVFA, NOSIRFA and Panay FA.

NOSIRFA is currently back at the second spot with 12 points following its 4-1 defeat of the Eastern Visayas Regional Football Association (EVRFA). They tote a 4-3-0 card. But, its match against CVFA will be its last.

The CVFA, for its part, once again dropped to the third spot with 10 points with its 3-2-1 card. While Panay FA has eight points but still has three more games left. It holds a 2-1-2 card./dbs