RP XI face Brunei today PDF Print E-mail
Monday, 12 May 2008

ImageBy Cedelf Tupas 

ILOILO CITY - The Philippines opens its campaign against Brunei at 3:30 p.m. today in the opener of the AFC Challenge Cup Group B Qualifying Tournament at the Iloilo Sports Complex here.

Defending champion Tajikistan battles Bhutan clash at the same time at the Barotac Nuevo Sports Plaza in the event sponsored by  the PSC, Magnolia, Smart, GNC, Gatorade and Mizuno, the national team’s official outfitter.

The teams will play in a single-round robin with the top team advancing to the main tournament in Hyderabad, India from July 30 to October 10.

All of the matches of the RP men’s team   in the Asian Challenge Cup qualifying tournament in Iloilo will be televised live starting at 3:30 p.m. today against Brunei on Solar Sports Channel 35 at  Destiny Cable TV.  The RP booters’ next game will be on Thursday against Tajikistan, the Asian Challenge Cup champion, at the same time. They wind up their stint on Saturday against Bhutan.

National coach Norman Fegidero said he will have an attack-minded side for the clash against the Bruneians, whom the Filipinos defeated, 4-1, in the Asean Football Championship Qualifiers in Bacolod City two years ago.




"We need to win. It doesn't matter if its, 1-0, just as long as the players play well and we dominate the match," Fegidero, a national player for 12 years, said.  

The attack will be led by Chelsea reserve Phil Younghusband, who has the best scoring record for the Philippines the past two years, and veteran internationalist Emelio Caligdong, a native Ilonggo.

Younghusband scored six goals in four games during the Asean Qualifiers in Bacolod and is tipped to duplicate his form, after another stellar season with Chelsea reserves, where he was used regularly, playing with the likes of Andrei Shevchenko and Joe Cole, among others.

"We love the country. We love the people and we have a chance to play good football," the London-based Younghusband said of his fourth stint with the national side, after the Hassanal Bolkiah Cup in 2007 and the 2005 Southeast Asian Games.

Fegidero also hopes to draw impressive performances from new goalkeeper Neil Etheridge and the back four of Aly Borromeo, Anton Del Rosario, Jobel Bermejo and Jason Cordova,  as well as midfielders Ruben Doctora, Robert Canedo and Arnie Pasinabo.

Along with skipper Caligdong, Phil Younghusband and Chad Gould, they will be expected to start in the first game.

Meanwhile, defending champion Tajikistan downplayed its chances of topping this tournament, although the world rankings show otherwise.

The Tajikistanis are ranked ahead of Asean powerhouses Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam, but coach Kodirov Polod said everybody has an equal chance of qualifying.

"All the teams are very strong and are capable of winning," Polod, whose team faces the 179th-ranked Filipinos on Thursday.

GAMES TODAY

3:30 p.m. – RP vs. Brunei (Iloilo Sports Complex)
3:30 p.m. – Tajikistan vs. Bhutan (La Paz, Barotac Nuevo)

Comments (10) >>

master passer said: _

  medyo over rated yata c caligdong! hinde nga yan marunong pumasa! pwede sya i think sa truck & field. football is a team sport, if you don't know how and when to pass the ball, you sucks!
May 13, 2008

Fredrick Yu said: _

  go azkals!!! will the games be posted in youtube?
May 13, 2008

locotes said: _

 
Nakaka walang gana naman tong PFF. Pati and time replay ng NBN di pa ma anounce.

go brunei.
May 13, 2008

buddha said: _

  According to the article above these are the players lining up:

(back) Aly Borromeo, Anton Del Rosario, Jobel Bermejo and Jason Cordova
(midfield) Ruben Doctora, Robert Canedo and Arnie Pasinabo
(forwards) Caligdong, Phil Younghusband and Chad Gould

Is it just me or does it sound like a classic 4-3-3?

Philippines playing TOTAL FOOTBALL, Cryuff style?!?!?!

Lets...bring...it...on, lads!!!!!!!

May 13, 2008

iceangelfire17 said: _

  Its raining here in Iloilo!
May 13, 2008

runi said: _

  ya bring anything! dala mo ug kaldero, planggana, kabo hahahaha...
May 13, 2008

runi said: _

  bad its raining...go go go! azkals!!!
May 13, 2008

Alex Ryan said: _

  LET'S GO AZKALS!
May 13, 2008

footballer said: _

  bring our flags, wear red or blue and lets support our azkals to the end. bring out the drums, what ever you have to celebrate our victory! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN!!!! GO! GO! GO! GO!!!!!!!!!!!! i don't know about you guys but im excited!
May 12, 2008

footballer said: _

  go! PHILIPPINES! ! !
May 12, 2008
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