San Beda, FEU booters boost U-23 team’s bid

MANILA, Philippines - After helping their respective teams to collegiate titles, Arnel Amita of Far Eastern U and Matthew Asong of San Beda will join 22 others in carrying the fight for the Philippines in this week’s Asian Football Confederation U-23 Championship 2016 Qualifiers in Bangkok, Thailand.

Amita, who helped the Tams retain the UAAP title, and Asong, who was MVP and Best Defender of the last NCAA wars, are among the college stars, United Football League mainstays and Fil-foreigner selected by Aussie coach Jim Fraser for the Mar. 25-31 meet.

Asong’s fellow Red Lion Jay Shaun Soberano, the NCAA’s reigning midfielder, and UAAP best defender Julian Mariano Clarino of University of the Philippines will also don the country’s colors in Thailand, where the U-23 Azkals are bracketed in Group G with DPR Korea, host Thailand and Cambodia.

Fil-British Charlie Beaton and Jorrel Aristorenas, Fil-Aussie Joshua Grommer, Fil-Nigerian Kennedy Uzoka will also be on hand as well as Luiz Cesar Abadia, Jenno Aquino, Fitch Arboleda, Florencio Badelic Jr., Mark Anthony Besana, Jaime Vicenzo Cheng, Ian de Castro, Curt Dizon, Shirmar Felongco, Daniel Gadia, John Kanayama, Nicholas O’ Donnell, Paolo Salenga, Francisco Jose Primo Santos, Richard Talaroc, Jr. and Nathanael Ace Villanueva.

The U-23 Azkals played three tuneup matches against UFL teams before flying to Bangkok.

They will start their campaign against DPR Korea on Mar. 27, then play the host Thais two days later and wrap up against Cambodia on Mar. 31 hoping to get good results to boost their chance of advancing. Per tournament rules, the group winners and the five best runners-up from all groups will move on to the final round next year.