PFF set to host 2 more international meets

MANILA, Philippines - Aside from the four-nation Long Teng Cup in Bacolod, the Philippine Football Federation will also stage two other international competitions in the country, this time involving the women’s under-16 and under-19 teams.

“We’ll be hosting two qualifiers for the ladies, one for the AFC U-16 Women’s Championship and another for the AFC U-19 Women’s Championship, separately in October and November,” PFF president Nonong Araneta said yesterday.

The University of Makati (Umak) field and the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, he said, will be the site for the two meets.

“We’ll also fix Umak. Since we’ll be converting the Rizal into an artificial pitch, the grass that will be taken off Rizal will be transplanted to the Umak,” he said.

Hosting the U-16 and U-19 qualifiers won’t require much financially as, Araneta explained, the participating nations will virtually shoulder their trips themselves.

Three foreign teams are expected in each of the qualifying meets.

Australia, Thailand and Myanmar will slug it with out the host Phl in Group C of the U-16 qualifiers. The four will play a round-robin format tourney with the group winner and runner-up booking tickets to the AFC U-16 women’s championship 2013 final.

On the other hand, Chinese Taipei, Myanmar and Hong Kong will join the hometown bet Pinays for Group C action in the U-19 Round 1 qualifiers. They will figure in a league system meet with the group winner and runner-up advancing to Round 2 of the qualifiers along with Thailand and Vietnam.

“We also want to develop ladies football, not just the men’s team or the Azkals,” said Araneta.

The Azkals will play at home in a planned competition with Chinese Taipei, Macau and Hong Kong on Oct. 12-16 at Panaad Stadium in Bacolod.

“To date, Hong Kong has yet to confirm their participation in the Long Teng but we’re doing our best to convince them,” said Araneta.

The P6-million Bacolod tourney is being eyed as a final tuneup for the Azkals before they head to the AFF Suzuki Cup in late November.