The Azkals are in Iloilo to play an exhibition match against the Central Philippine University (CPU) squad in Barotac Nuevo, considered as the county’s football capital.
The tune-up match, according to Iloilo-based news site The Daily Guardian, is part of the Azkals’ training for their two-leg Asian qualifying match for the 2014 World Cup.
The Azkals will face Sri Lanka in a two-game, home-and-away series on June 29 and July 3, with the winner taking on Kuwait in the next round.
It will be the Azkals' second time to play in Iloilo after their 2008 qualifying match in the 2008 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup.
"This is a big honor and it only shows that we are capable of competing internationally," said Azkals co-captain Chieffy Caligdong, who is among the eight members of the team that hail from Iloilo.
Aside from Caligdong, the other members of the team who are from Iloilo are star striker Ian Araneta, Joebel Bermejo, Yanti Barsales, Nestorio Margase, Mark Ferrer, Roel Gener, and Richard Becite III.
Iloilo-based players have long been in the roster of the Philippine national football team with a majority of players coming from the town of Barotac Nuevo.
The Azkals rose to fame after entering the semifinals of last year's ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup. The Azkals also qualified in the main draw of the 2012 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup.
The Azkals will also play against an All-Star team from the LBC-United Football League (UFL) on June 5 as a fundraising event for the National squad.
The football friendly was organized by UFL organizer Football Alliance and Azkals team manager Dan Palami. – JVP, GMA News
0 Comments
