Pinay U18 booters seek lofty finish in AFF Under-18 Women’s Championship in Indonesia

The Philippines U-18 women’s football team poses for a group photo. | Photo from the PFF website

CEBU CITY, Philippines — After the historic title run of the Philippine Women’s National Football Team (PWNFT) in the AFF Women’s Championship, it is the turn of its U18 squad to seek a lofty finish in the AFF Under-18 Women’s Championship from July 24 to August 4 in Palembang, Indonesia.

Eight of the 27 players on the Philippines U18 team’s official roster are from the Central Visayas Football Association (CVFA).

The PFF U18 team has selected a total of seven Cebuanas and one Boholana footballer to don the country’s tri-colors.

The Cebuana booters include Celina Beatrice Salazar(midfielder), Maegan Andrea Alforque (midfielder), Jodi Marie Banzon (forward), Rae Mikella Tolentino (defender), Kyza Stephan Colina (midfielder), Mish Tzishe Castañares (midfielder), and Maria Andrea Evangelista (goalkeeper). The lone Boholana player is Elisha Flor Maio Lubiano (defender).

These CVFA players are from various schools in Cebu and Bohol, such as Saint Theresa’s College (STC), Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC), University of Southern Philippines-Foundation (USP-F), and the University of Bohol.

The rest of the Philippine U18 team players are Aspen Dunn, Samantha Link, Alexis Tan, Stella Maria Divino, Chantelle Maniti, Maxine Isabel Pascual, Jenny Perez, Micha Paulin Santiago, Kylie Anne Yap, Florence Lhei Ycong, Isabella Noelle Alamo, Isabella Noelle Alamo, Francesca Crespo, Jade Anne Jalique, Sophia Lyttle, Karen Mae Mangantang, Mikaela Jaqueline Villacin, Angely Alferez, Isabella Victoria Flanigan, and Jonalyn Lucban.

The team will compete in Group B with Malaysia, Myanmar, and Australia. Group A comprises host country Indonesia along with Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and Singapore.

The tournament venues will be the Gelora Jakabaring Stadium and the Jakabaring Athletic Field.

The Philippines will face Australia first on Monday, July 25, 2022, at the Jakabaring Athletic Field, while their second group stage match is against Myanmar on July 27 at the same venue. Their last group stage match is against Malaysia on July 29 at the Gelora Jakabaring Stadium.

The team’s head coach is Marnelli Dimzon with assistant coaches Kim Versales, Arvin Jay Soliman, and Gerald Orcullo.   /rcg

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