2014 AFC Challenge Cup Azkals asam ang semis ticket

Laro Ngayon

(National Stadium, Male)

4 p.m. Turkmenistan vs Philippines

(7 p.m. Manila time)

(Hithadoo Stadium, Addu City)

4 p.m. Afghanistan vs Laos (7 p.m. Manila time)

MALE, Maldives -- Tatangkain ng Philippine Azkals na makakuha ng semifinal berth sa pagsagupa sa Turkmenistan ngayon sa Group B sa AFC Challenge Cup dito sa National Sta­dium.

Nanggaling ang Azkals sa 2-0 paggupo sa Laos, ha­bang tinalo ng Afghanistan ang Turkmenistan, 3-1, na nagbigay sa mga Pinoy booters at Lions ng tig-4 points sa Group B .

May 3-0 points naman ang Turkmen, samantalang tu­luyan nang nasibak ang Laotians dahil sa dalawang sunod nitong kabiguan.

“I know a draw is good enough but I think we now have to start treating it like, if you want to be champions in this tournament, then the mentality is always to beat the other team. That’s how we want to condition the minds of the players,” sabi ni team manager Dan Palami.

Ang draw sa Turkmenistan ang maaari ring maglagay sa ibabaw sa Azkals sa Green Men sa agawan sa Top 2  anuman ang mangyari sa laro ng Afghanistan at Laos sa Hithadoo Stadium sa Addu City.

“If we want to win the championship, we have to beat everyone anyhow. We have to go to the next game and we want to win the next game no matter what,” wika ni Az­kals’ coach Thomas Dooley matapos ang kanilang pa­nalo sa Laos.

Naglaban na ang Azkals at ang Turkmenistan ng da­­lawang beses simula noong 2012.

Nanaig ang Tukrmen noong 2012 sa semis ng Challenge Cup, ngunit bumawi ang mga Pinoy booters mula sa kanilang 1-0 paglusot sa qualifying stages ng 2014 edition last year at Rizal Memorial.

“We’ve always had interesting games against Turkmenistan and they’re a strong side, there’s no doubt about that; they’re very physical and that will be a tight game, a really tight game,” ani Azkals skipper Rob Gier.

“Obviously, we’ll be gunning for the win, no matter what. If you wanna win this competition, if you wanna go to the Asian Cup, then you have to beat the best teams, as simple as that,” dagdag pa nito.

Posibleng hindi makalaro sina goalkeeper Neil Ethe­ridge at defender Juano Guirado dahil sa injury.

Inaasahan pa rin ni Palami na magiging maganda ang laro ng Azkals sa knockout stages ng nasabing AFC Asian Cup-qualifying meet.

“We’re not yet there. It was a better game especially against a lower-ranked opponent but nevertheless we’re improving. I hope for the next game, we’ll show an even better cohesion among players. We were too slow in the build up so we need to improve on that and just be more accurate with our finishing because the chances are there and we haven’t been really making the most out of this opportunity,” ani Palami.