Three squads will be vying for top honors in the Visayas qualifying tournament of the Philippine Football Federation National Men's Senior Championship from Jan. 27 to 29 at the Silliman University pitch in Dumaguete City.

Negros Occidental Football Association, bannered by the University of St. La Salle booters, Cebu FA and Oriental Negros FA will be competing for the right to represent Visayas in the national finals in Iloilo next month.

Iloilo FA, which qualified for the national tilt with NOFA last year after emerging as the top two teams in the Visayas leg, will have an automatic slot in the national finals as the host, Negros coach Fredie Lazarito told the DAILY STAR.

USLS earned the right to represent Negros in the regional event by posting a 2-0 victory over arch-rivals West Negros College in the finals of the men's open division of the NOFA Provincial Football Championships in Bago City in September last year.

Expected to spearhead Negros' campaign are Arnie Pasinabo, who saw action for the Philippine men's football squad during the 23rd Southeast Asian Games, and goalkeeper Archie Bayquin, the Most Valuable Player of the NOFA provincial event.

Former La Salle standouts, including Dexter Versario, who was a member of the RP men's football team training pool, will be included in the line-up to boost Negros' chances of bringing home the title, Lazarito, who also serves as the mentor of the USLS booters, said.

NOFA placed second last year after bowing to the Philippine Navy via a penalty shootout in Cagayan de Oro City.

Aside from the Ilonggos, the Visayas winner will also compete against the champions of North-South Luzon, Southeast Luzon, Western Mindanao, Northeast Mindanao and South-Central Mindanao in the national championships slated Feb. 20 to 26.

A total of 25 squads will see action in six regional qualifying tournaments, the PFF said.

NOFA finished third after scoring a 4-2 triumph over the National Capital Region in the PFF-Adidas Under-19 Football Championships in Bago City in October last year.

The Under-19 squad of Negros, which was coached by Norman Fegidero Jr., was composed of USLS and West Negros College booters. *CIT

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