BAGO/VICTORIAS — Match Day 4 of the 2026 PFF U16-U19 National Boys’ Championships delivered the tournament’s most lopsided result yet, a dramatic late winner, and a clutch five-goal performance that reshuffled the U19 standings, as both competitions approach their most decisive moments.
Iloilo-Guimaras RFA (IGRFA) stamped their dominance on the U16 Championship with a historic win, while the U19 National Qualifiers saw Olongapo City-Zambales FA complete a perfect sweep and Laguna RFA surge into the National Finals.
U16: Iloilo-Guimaras sweeps Group A; Group B goes to the wire
IGRFA delivered the statement of the tournament on Saturday, dismantling Zamboanga del Norte-Dipolog RFA (ZANDIRFA), 11-1, to conclude their group stage campaign in the most emphatic fashion imaginable and book their place in the semifinals of the inaugural PFF U16 National Boys’ Championship.
Gab Belluga set the tone with an early brace that announced IGRFA’s intentions from the opening minutes, and the floodgates never closed. The result is the most lopsided in the tournament thus far and reinforces what has become a clear message throughout Match Days 1 through 4 — Iloilo-Guimaras are in a class of their own in Group A.
The National Capital Region Football Association (NCRFA) kept their semifinal hopes alive with a composed 2-0 win over Misamis Occidental-Ozamiz FA (MOOFA), with both goals coming in the second half after a disciplined defensive display from MOOFA made the first half a difficult affair.
Midfielder Zac Mitchell of Muntinlupa City was the creative engine behind NCRFA’s buildup and was rewarded with the Player of the Match award. NCRFA now face a mathematical equation heading into the final group stage day, they must avoid a defeat of 17 goals or more against ZANDIRFA to secure the second semifinal spot in Group A, a scenario that is firmly within their control.
Group B produced contrasting results but converged on the same outcome — a three-way race to the wire.
Host Negros Occidental RFA (NORFA) continued their impressive run with a dominant 7-1 demolition of Iligan-Lanao RFA (ILRFA), with Zack Anthony Betia of San Carlos City leading the charge with a brace that set NORFA’s high tempo from the outset, earning him the Player of the Match award. With nine points, NORFA sit atop Group B and need just one more win to confirm their semifinals berth.
However, Olongapo City-Zambales FA (OCZFA) refused to go quietly. In the day’s most dramatic U16 result, OCZFA edged Camiguin-Misamis Oriental RFA (CMORFA), 2-1, through a late winner by red-haired forward Miel Vander Daguman — a goal that sent the OCZFA faithful in the bleachers into raptures and kept his side’s semifinals dream alive.
Daguman spoke with infectious joy and maturity after the match. “When I went for the goal, I was full of confidence because I could hear their shouts,” he said, crediting the crowd’s energy for driving him forward.
He also reflected on the team spirit that carried OCZFA through the pressure. “We were talking to each other at halftime and during the game that we should stay calm — that win or lose, we are still one team, we are still OCZFA.”
OCZFA and Golden Davao RFA (GODARFA) are now level on points at second place in Group B, but CMORFA is still in contention for the top two group spots. NORFA versus OCZFA promises to be a thriller in this afternoon’s fixtures while GODARFA and CMORFA will fight for survival to end the elimination round.
U19: Olongapo-Zambales perfect, Laguna surges, Sabala goals 5 for Cordi
In the U19 National Qualifiers, OCZFA capped a historic group stage campaign with a 2-1 win over Province of Bohol RFA (PBRFA), courtesy of a decisive brace from Kurt Ivan Venturina.
With 12 points from four wins, OCZFA completed a perfect sweep of Group B and will join the National Championships alongside Cebu RFA, NORFA, IGRFA, and NCRFA — a field that promises fierce competition at the national stage.
The Group A story of the day was Laguna RFA’s stunning 5-1 rout of ZANDIRFA, which vaulted them into second place and secured the group’s second National Finals ticket alongside South Cotabato-Sarangani-General Santos RFA (SOCSARGEN) and OCZFA. Five different scorers combined for Laguna in a performance that Player of the Match Zachary Chu described as a collective achievement.
“From our previous game we were able to build the possession up more, and the chemistry between the team just became way better,” he said. “We were down 1-0 at the start, and with the courage of the team we were able to fight back.”
Chu also reflected on the added motivation of performing in front of national team scouts.
“This tournament and the scouts — it motivates me to work harder for myself, but most importantly to help the team win. The goal is not just my goal, but a team effort’s goal.”
In the day’s other U19 fixtures, MOOFA claimed their first win of the qualifiers with a 4-0 shutout of Mount Apo RFA, with Kit Ivan Quilalang and Christian Rey Gapol — named Player of the Match — each scoring a brace.
In Group B, Cordillera Administrative Region FA (CARFA) earned their first points of the competition with a 5-2 win over Butuan-Agusan del Norte FA, powered by a Cyrus Sabala masterclass that kept CARFA’s National Finals qualification hopes breathing.
Heading into the final match day, one National Finals slot remains open in Group A, with ZANDIRFA needing at least a draw against SOCSARGEN to hold on, while MOOFA can still sneak through with a win and a ZANDIRFA loss.
In Group B, three teams — PBRFA, CARFA, and Davao South RFA — are still fighting for two remaining spots, guaranteeing a dramatic conclusion to the qualifiers.
The 2026 PFF U16-U19 National Boys’ Championships continues in Negros Occidental with the final group stage matches, culminating in what promises to be an unforgettable conclusion to the elimination round.
