Moldovan tournament aids youth development

The Football Association of Moldova (FMF) has staged a successful fourth edition of its Viitorul tournament for talented young players picked from all regions of the country.

This latest Viitorul (meaning 'future') tournament featured players born in 1996 and caught the imagination of public and coaches alike – proving once again to be an excellent showcase for Moldova's emerging junior footballers.

"We have discovered talented young players, some of whom have been selected for local academies," said FMF technical director Ghenadie Scurtul. "We also had the opportunity to discuss what needs to be done regarding regional youth football and coaching. The next stage will be in the spring, when selected regional teams will play against the best club academies in Moldova."

In the Viitorul semi-finals, the north's representative team edged out their western counterparts 1-0 while the east beat the south 3-0. The eastern outfit then went on to lift the trophy as goals from Vlad Calandaev (2) and Veaceslav Cazantev consigned the north to a 3-1 final defeat.

In the third-place play-off, the western side saw off the south thanks to unanswered strikes by Gheorghe Modvala and Mihai Motriuc.

"This tournament has helped improve the skills of young players and develop youth football on a regional level," added Scurtul. "Coaches have been able to exchange knowledge as we have analysed the development of youth football in different regions of Moldova."