NOFA booters are PFF U19 boys nat’l champions
NOFA players celebrate after winning the title of the PFF U19 Boys National Championships. | Photo from the PFF Website
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Negros Occidental Football Association (NOFA) emerged as the best under-19 team in the Philippines after ruling the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) U19 Boys National Championship-First Division at the PFF Training Center in Carmona, Cavite on Saturday.
NOFA defeated the heavily-favored National Capital Region Football Association (NCRFA),1-0, in a nail-biting extended time goal from Kyle Alipoon at the 117th minute, as both teams failed to score a goal at the 90-minute regulation.
Alipoon, a substitute in the latter part of the match, scored the winning goal after NCRFA’s goalkeeper Jan Diola made a huge blunder by committing to defend Rohderick Rodriguez by moving out of the goal box.
Diola successfully averted Rodriguez’s attempt, but the ball went straight to Alipoon’s foot. Alipoon immediately strikes the ball high enough to slip past from NCRFA’s defender and went straight inside the goal.
Meanwhile, Iloilo Football Association claimed the third place in the tournament after defeating Socsargen Regional Football Association,1-0, in the battle-for-third. The lone goal came from Selwyn Mamon who scored a header in the third minute.
Mamon and NCRFA’s John Jalique were named as the tournament’s top scorers as both footballers scored six goals in their respective campaigns.
NOFA’s Francis Madamecilla was named the best midfielder while teammate John Marcellana as the best goalkeeper. NCRFA’s Haren de Grace was named best defender while NOFA’s Rodriguez claimed the MVP plum for his heroic goal.
After this tournament, PFF will shift its focus on the U19 regional championships’ elimination tournament which is hosted by various football associations this month.
One of the regional eliminations is hosted by the Central Visayas Football Association (CVFA) on June 22, 2022 at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) pitch.
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