THE PHILIPPINE Under 13 (RP U13) training pool tagged as the “Little Azkals” won one of their two tune-up matches against the football teams of the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) U14 yesterday.
The Little Azkals won, 1-0, against the Magis Eagles U14 team and lost, 2-0, versus the U17 team.
Ray Vincent Sanciangco of the Rizal Football Association (RIFA) was the only Little Azkal who found the back of the net.
Despite winning against the U14, head coach Oliver Colina said his first team, comprised of players who competed in the recently-concluded Palarong Pambansa in Dapitan, played well but has not totally adapted the system of play he is using for the RP U13 training pool.
Colina said this is understandable because they just rejoined the training camp last Monday.
Colina described his second team, which went up against the U17, as the stronger team.
According to Colina, they were able to compete but was at a disadvantage because of the size and speed of their older opponents.
However, he said they were able to achieve their purpose of strengthening their compact defending, line defending and combinations.
The Little Azkals will have more tune-up matches today against the U14 and U16 teams of the Canduman FC.
Of the 30 that Colina chose for the pool, only 23 showed up, making his job easier as he only needs to drop one booter to make up the official 22-man RP U13 lineup which will leave for Malaysia on May 31 to see action in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U13 Festival of Football from June 1 to 6.
The Little Azkals are still looking for financial support to cover around P600,000 worth of expenses needed for the ongoing training camp.
DRBSports, which initially agreed to fund the team, has backed out.
Colina said they need about P400,000 more because the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) has given them a subsidy of P150,000. /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON