Negrense football fans will have an opportunity to see in action the RP Under-16 football team when they compete in the 1st Doc Eric 7-aside Football Festival this weekend at the Carlos Hilado Memorial State College football grounds.

The nationals will be using their stint in the event as tune-up in preparation for the Oct. 3-13 AFC Asian U16 Football Championship Group E Qualifier to be played at the Panaad Stadium.

The 1st Doc Eric bootfest is organized by the City Government of Talisay City under Mayor Eric Saratan in cooperation with the Executive Village Football Club headed by businessman Rafael “Junie” Lizares.

Competition in the Talisay event will be in the boys and girls Under-13, boys and girls Under-16, and open categories, tournament coordinator Warren Concepcion said.

Among the teams and clubs that confirmed their participation in the two-day football festival are Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, Kabankalan City, Himamaylan City, Pontevedrea, la Carlota city, Bago City, Cadiz city, San Carlos City, University of St. La Salle, West Negros University, University of Neg. Occ.-Recoletos, Handumanan United FC, Bacolod City National High School, Domingo Lacson National High School, CHMSC-Talisay, Minuluan-Talisay FC, Executive Village FC, Don Bosco Technical Institute, Doña Juliana FC, Hervias Nat’l High School, Rizal elem. School, LCC Gardenville, and St. Benilde School.

Opening ceremonies will be at 8 a.m. on Saturday.

Meanwhile, preparations are now in high gear for the Asian U16 Football Championship Group E Qualifier with six international teams joining in the competition.

Vying for the slot in the AFC U16 Championship are teams from Japan, Chinese Taipei, Mongolia, Indonesia, Bangladesh and host Philippines.

Event coordinator and Philippine Football Federation general secretary Cyril Dofitas, who met members of local sports media last week to kick off preparations for the hosting of the tournament, said it will be staged in cooperation with PFF, Province of Neg. Occ., City of Bacolod, Negros Occidental Football Association, and the Executive Village Football Club.

Four Negrense booters are among the 29 standouts in the PFF national U16 pool from where the final lineup of the RP U16 squad will be drawn after a training camp is held here for the national booters sometime this month.

The four Negrense players in the pool are Melecio Manuel Mentor, Sidney Angelo Magbanua and Shane Belera of Victorias City, and Gerald Mark Layumas of San Carlos City.*NAB

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