Little Azkals expand roster with eleven new members

ALMOST all of the former members of the Little Azkals or the national under-13 team plus 11 new players have been selected for the training camp of the national under-14 team, which will kickoff on March 31 until April 15 at the Don Bosco Boys Home in Liloan, Cebu.

Head coach Oliver “BingBing” Colina and his staff scouted the boys during the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Regional Festival of Football in San Carlos City, Davao, Naga City, Iligan and Laguna.

Former Little Azkals who have been selected for the training camp are Cebu’s Moiselle Angelo Alforque, Lawrence Colina, Major Dean Ebarle, Vincent Erik Lovitos and Kintaro Miyagi; Manila’s John William Abraham, Marco Alessandro Casambre, Harrel Rainier Dayan, Josh Albert Miller and Ray Vincent Sanciangco; Cagayan de Oro’s Jeremiah Borlongan and Dimitri Lionel Limbo; Davao’s Darius Joseph Diamante and Javier Romero-Salas; Dumaguete’s Jhenry Omar Hamdan, Kairyll Vienne Parao and Jose Anton Yared; Dipolog’s Sebastian Rafael Patangan and San Carlos City’s Mason Trent Vergara.

New players added to the camp are San Carlos City’s Shanden Vergara and Gabriel Dyner Mendoza; Masbate’s Kent Stuart Gastador, Jovan Marfiga and Rexon Xyrus Capellan; Iloilo’s Jed Deleriarte and Red Brilliantes; Dumaguete’s Floren Christian Lapas; Bukidnon’s Chester Gio Palualan; Cebu’s Brandon Durano; and North Cotabato’s John Lorence Camiring.

Deleriarte, Lapas and Vergara are not new to the camp as they were also part of the training pool last year. But they were cut when the final lineup was made.

Of the 30, Colina also selected 22 who will be going to Italy for intensive training, which would include competitions with junior Italian clubs.

The 22 is comprised of all of the former Little Azkals plus Deleriarte, Lapas and Vergara. Colina also included Lorenzo Genco, who is already in Italy. Genco is also an original member of the Little Azkal lineup.

Being part of the Italy lineup will also not mean that an automatic slot at the official lineup for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-14 Festival of Football in Malaysia this June. /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON