Makati FC plunges into age-group tilt

Grounded by the pandemic for the last two years, Makati Football Club (FC) emerges from its hiatus and plunged into the Junior Soccer School and League (JSSL) Singapore Professional Academy 7s, which kicked off on Friday.

The biggest youth tournament in Asia, the 2022 edition will return after a three-year absence, as Makati FC hopes to make the most out of its comeback in international competition.

“The pandemic really took a hit in our football program in the last two years,” said coach SeLu Lozano, Makati FC director and CEO. “This tournament will set the tone for our program and teams to see where we are in terms of competition. This will give us the opportunity to once more gauge the competition abroad and come back to develop our training for the better.”

Makati FC partnered with Philippine Airlines anew to fly the 170-strong delegation to Singapore.

The club has made its mark in the tournament before. Makati FC won the Paul Parker overall champion trophy in 2018 after emerging triumphant in the boys U10, U13 and girls U16.

In 2019, the last time the event was held, Makati FC fielded in 10 age-group teams—the biggest delegation in the tournament.

The youth teams of Tottenham Hotspur FC, Valencia CF, JSSL FC, Melbourne City FC, Bangkok United and Johor Darul Ta’zim are also all set to feature in the tournament’s comeback.