MANILA, Philippines - CF Internacional de Madrid (CFIM), the third division Spanish club slated to play an Azkals-reinforced Phl team on Jan. 7 at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, is expecting a competitive match even if it is basically a charity game.
“I think it is going to be an exciting and competitive match, something which I believe we owe to the organizers of the relief efforts who are working so hard, and to all of the supporters who will turn up for the game,” CFIM chief Stephen Kenneth Newman said in a message on the team’s Facebook account.
The 4 p.m. match, dubbed “Dili Kamo Nag-iisa,” was intended to help victims of typhoon “Sendong,” which left a trail of death and destruction in Cagayan de Oro Ciity and Iligan last Dec. 17. Gate receipts and other proceeds from the game will be donated to the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC).
Internacional de Madrid, which competes in the Tercera Division Grupo 7 of the Spanish League System, said it is “particularly sympathetic to this type of tragedies, more so because of the historical and cultural ties between Spain and the Philippines.”
But the Spaniards will treat the match itself as a regular outing.
“I think for CFIM it is going to be a tough game, because the Azkals will be highly motivated and moved by the occasion. This will not be an exhibition game because I believe that both teams will give their best to make it a truly thrilling and emotional night of football,” said the CFIM boss.
CFIM will go up against a Phl team that, according to Philippine Football Federation official Bonnie Ladrido, will call itself “Azkals Alyansa.”
Leading the local crew are skipper Chieffy Caligdong and fellow Azkals James and Phil Younghusband, Ian Araneta, Anton del Rosario, Nate Burkey, Jason Sabio, Eduard Sacapano, Roel Gener, Nestor Margarse, Misagh Bahadoran and Lexton Moy. Under-23 standouts OJ Clarino, Jinggoy Valmayor, Paolo Pascual and Raymark Fernandez will also be on hand.
The charity game, which will be broadcast by ABS-CBN in the Philippines and Telemadrid in Spain, got precious space in Spanish papers on Saturday as drum-up for the event began.
Filipinos are expected to share this excitement for “Dili Kamo Nag-iisa” especially since tickets pegged between P100 and P500 will already be on sale beginning today via Ticketworld.
The match will also serve as some sort of warmup for the Azkals who will return to training camp this month in preparation for the AFC Challenge Cup in Nepal in March.