Teen Malditas
Four Dabawenyas to play in Malaysia
DAVAO City girl booters Joyce Semacio, Joanah Adao, Patricia Fransisco, and Bea Angela de Luna will see action as part of the Philippine women’s football Under-16 Teen Malditas team that will compete in the Asian Football Confederation U-16 Women’s championship qualifiers starting today in Melaka, Malaysia.
Adao, Fransisco and Dongon are students from Ateneo de Davao University (Addu) while Semacio is from the Philippine College of Technology (PCT).
Ateneo football coach Albert Ryan Lim, in a facebook chat with Sun.Star Davao, said that he’s estatic about the four girls’ feats.
“I’m very proud of our players who made it to the Teen Malditas and represent Philippines in another qualifying competition in Malaysia. I believe the good program of Ateneo in football and the unending support of the school with the parents are the reasons why we have reached it this far,” Lim added.
Lim added:”Depende na sa mga players kung gusto pa nila magcontinue sa paglaro until sa college para may chance sila na makapasok sa Malditas women’s national team.”
PCT-Medvil coach Ramonito “Lalas” Carreon, in a separate phone interview, said that they have already expected that Semacio will be part of the U-16 national team.
“Before Semacio left for Manila for a two-week duration, she already showcased her talents and skills in the sport of football for the school and by that we already believed that she would make it to the national team,” Carreon said in the vernacular.
Carreon also said that Semacio, a U-14 regioanl tournament most valuable player, is the only girl scholar in football in PCT.
Carreon added: “The whole PCT family is very proud of her achievements as an athlete. Semacio is a very talented player in terms of her talents, skills, techniques, and even her understanding of the game is incredible.”
The national team is bracketed with Myanmar, Chinese Taipei, and Cambodia in Group D, where only one slot in the main competition is up for grabs.
The four Dabawenyas join 23-member squad composed of talents from Cebu City, Cagayan de Oro, San Carlos in Dumaguete City, Iloilo City, Olongapo City, and Manila.
Both Lim and Carreon wished Team Philippines a successful run in Malaysia.
The Mindanao selection the girls U-16 national team was held last August at the Tionko field.