Looking at women’s team Superbad FC in 7s Football Tournament

MANILA, Philippines – Superbad FC opened its 2022 AIA 7s Football Tournament campaign with a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Team Philippines Street Child World Cup U-18 at the McKinley Hill Stadium.

SCWC stunned Superbad by scoring the opening goal.

“That seemed to give the girls the wake-up call they needed and to start playing their game,” described team manager Iggy Halili. 

A terrific connection between Cecille Dayrit and Venica Jose led to the latter scoring the equalizer for Superbad.

Dayrit was then able to take the ball away and push her side ahead with a second goal. One of the team’s co-captains, Aira Agustin, put the game out of reach with a third goal. 

“The team has collectively shown great positivity and energy coming into this season,” observed Halili. “The team has fresh faces and new recruits and yet, we seem to jell together. The coaches could have not asked for a better start.”

Superbad FC was founded in 2009 as a club for ex-varsity and even non-varsity players to continue playing in football leagues that were not as intense as the main commercial leagues but competitive enough.

True enough, the women’s Superbad squad is populated by former varsity players from La Salle, UST, Ateneo, and UP. 

“We organized the women’s team in late 2018 to join the 7s,” recounted Halili. “I thought, ‘why let my girlfriend — Martina Prats who was then playing for Azzurri FC — play for another team when she can play for the team I represent and manage?’”

Halili made sure to make the proper overtures to Azzurri FC’s manager, Mon Almeda, and even named the first women’s team as Superbad Azzurri (for only one season).

Prats transferred with a few of her teammates and since then, the team grew in size and number. 

The current team features team captain Juris Parojinog-Parel, Maan Del Carmen-Dinglasan, Denice Vitorio, Mica Sibayan, Kalai Aguilar, Stine De Leon, Aira Audrey Alexis Agustin, Marga Bellosillo, Clara Poblador, Crista Firme, Alice dela Peña-Villanueva, Cristina V. Tarog, AJ Estinos Javier, Dea Ferrer, Paula Siggaoat, Yvette Gaston, Anne Chico, Cecille Dayrit, Mariell Tejada, Alexa Dabao, Mia Sumulong, Kim Guico, Ma. Venica Geraldine Audrey Jose, Sofia Villa and Martina Prats. 

“Even if we have a lot of players, we try to balance the playing time so everyone gets to play,” summed up Halili. “It’s not easy, but we try to accomplish that while having fun and playing to win.”  

Superbad takes on Manila Digger B when the AIA 7s resumes at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, August 28, at the McKinley Hill Stadium.