U19 women’s squads carrying the colors of Iloilo and Davao, Negros Oriental and host Negros Occidental clash in Saturday’s opening matches of the 2010 National Women’s Football Selections Tournament slated to reel off at the football pitch of the Panaad Sports and Recreational Park in Barangay Mansilingan.
Three matches are scheduled immediately after the 2:00 p.m. opening ceremonies.
The first match at 2:00 p.m. is in the U19 category between Iloilo and Davao followed at 3:30 p.m. by the U14 battle between Manila and host Negros Occidental.
The day’s final match is again in the U19 division between host Negros Occidental “A” and neighboring Negros Oriental Football Association (NORFA) of Dumaguete City which is scheduled at 6:00 p.m.
The April 24-28 event is hosted by the Executive Village Football Club headed by Junie Lizares in cooperation with the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) which will be represented in this event by general secretary Cyril Dofitas.
The five-day competition aims to select the players who will compose the two national squads that will represent the country in two separate international tournaments this year.
The U14 national team will see action in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Festival of Football in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in June, while the national U19 squad will see action in the AFC Asian Women’s Qualifying event set sometime in November at a still undisclosed venue, with EVFC prodding the PFF to bid for the hosting of said event here in Bacolod City at the Panaad stadium.
The Negros Occidental U14 team is coached by Jose Reymando Baldava of Victorias City with Isa Carmona, daughter of former national player John Carmona as team captain.
The U19 Negros Occidental team, meanwhile, is mentored by head coach Warren Concepcion, with Paul Espinosa and Rinelle De Oca as assistants, and with Chermaine Guancia as team captain.
All matches in the five-day series are open to the public for free, organizers said.