MANILA – Makati Football Club, representing the Philippines, relied on stellar showing from its girls squads to secure its second straight Paul Parker overall championship in the JSSL Singapore Academy 7’s 2024 over the weekend.
The Girls Under 16 team had the most impressive performance among all the Makati FC teams that competed in the four-day football fest held at the Arena Stadium in Singapore.
Makati FC Girls Under 16 team captured a championship in the tournament’s Girls Under 16 division, earning them an automatic qualification in the Girls Under 16 Pro division.
During the Girls U16 Pro division event, the Makati FC pulled off a 1-0 upset over the Sporting Clube de Portugal before losing to Spain’s Valencia CF in the semifinals round, 6-2.
Apart from the Girls Under 16 team, Makati FC also won two more girls division titles after their Girls 12 squad successfully defended their crown, while the Girls 14 team topped their division.
Among the players of Makati FC in girls divisions are San Carlos, Negros Occidental’s Shine Cadayona, Pontevedra, Negros Occidental’s Joyce Gemberva, and Cebuanas Yona De La Calzada, Raven Undan, and Gab Callao.
In the boys division, Makati FC emerged victorious in the Boys 13 division for the first time since 2019, while their Boys 6 and 7 squads also had title finishes in their respective divisions.
Makati FC also managed to have runner up finishes in their Boys 10 and 14 teams, and bronze medal finishes by their Girls 10 and Boys 15 squads, annexing their third Paul Parker overall championship.
Head coach Selu Lozano said Makati FC believes in the transformative power of football, not only as a sport but as a vehicle for social change and personal development.
“Our mission at Makati Football Club goes beyond just training athletes; it’s about nurturing dreams and fostering a sense of possibility,” said Lozano. “We want every child who walks through our doors to know that dedication and proper support, they too can be great. May it be in sports or in other aspects of life.”
The JSSL Singapore Academy 7’s 2024 was participated by more than 450 teams and 6,000 players from different countries./PN
