By Jerome S. Galunan, Jr.

Three footballers from Negros Occidental were recently called up to join the Philippine women’s national football team, the Malditas, for the 2018 AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualification round in Tajikistan.
Alesa Dai Dolino, a defender for OutKast FC, alongside De La Salle University defender Mary Cristine Duran and midfielder Irish Navaja, were selected for the squad.
The three were previously members of the U19 Negros selection, while Duran and Navaja were part of the Philippine U14 girls national football team.
The team is currently drawn in Group A, with Jordan, Bahrain, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Tajikistan. Matches will be played at the Pamir Stadium in Dushanbe./WDJ