Makati FC Girls U13 upended NCE New York, 3-1, in the Final to rule the Girls Trophy tournament at the Haileybury School in Hertfordshire, England.
The well-decorated Philippine youth nipped Go Pro Dubai, 1-0, in the semifinal to atone for a 0-1 setback in the final group stage match.
It was an amazing group stage run for Makati FC Girls U13, who topped the standings with 13 points, two clear of NCE New York. Along the way, the girls bested notable academy clubs like Arsenal, Brighton, and Aston Villa to secure the No. 1 spot and a crucial advantage heading into the knockout rounds.
Ranged against world-class academy teams, Makati FC defeated Linfield, 3-1, Brighton, 2-0, and Aston Villa, 3-0, and battled toe-to-toe with Arsenal in a thrilling 2-2 stalemate.
Selu Lozano, recently appointed as team manager of the national women’s U17 team set to compete in Tajikistan this October, has nothing but long-term plans for the development of youth football.
“It’s not about winning tournaments, it’s about creating a pathway for homegrown talent and building a system that works,” Lozano said. “Every game shows us what the competition demands, and our mission is to keep improving the program so that Philippine youth players can develop to meet—and even surpass—those standards. Our vision is long-term: to elevate the level of football in the Philippines by aligning our grassroots programs with the realities of world-class competition.”
An exclusive tournament for girls born on or after January 1, 2012, Makati FC was grateful for every moment that brought the squad to England, where every step is a blessing and every game is a lesson for the players. Among them was the youngest member of the squad, Grace Gella, born in 2013 from Pontevedra.
The team is set to compete in the IberCup next April, where it is going to face Real Madrid and Barcelona, and reunite with Sporting CP—the Portuguese powerhouse they bravely pushed to penalties in last July’s finals.
