Azkals take on 3 teams in buildup for AFC tilt

MANILA, Philippines - The Azkals will battle two nations and one foreign club next month as they shift their buildup for the May 19-30 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup in Maldives into high gear.

Per announcement by the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), the Pinoy booters will take on fellow “emerging nation” Nepal on April 11 and Qatari club Al Ahli SC on April 14 when they fly to Doha for their second overseas training camp under new coach Thomas Dooley.

Two weeks later, the Azkals will play regular opponent Malaysia at the Cebu Sports Complex, their first game at home for 2014. The friendly slated April 27 will serve as the return match of their “away” encounter last March 1 at MPS Stadium in Selayang, which ended in a scoreless draw.

This will actually be the fourth time in four years that the Filipino booters will cross paths with the Malayan Tigers. In 2012, the two engaged in a pair of home and away friendlies, both ending in standoffs (1-1 and 0-0). Overall, however, Malaysia enjoys the upperhand in games won against Phl, 11 versus 1.  The neighboring sides played to a draw a total of four times.

Azkals team manager Dan Palami said they are doing their best to whip Phl XI into top form as they eye the Challenge Cup title and its corresponding berth to the AFC Asian Cup in 2015 in Australia.

“We’re leaving no stones unturned to realize every Azkals fans’ dream of playing in the AFC Asian Cup. Let’s go for this!” Palami said.

The Azkals (130th in the Fifa world rankings) are doubly motivated to complete their mission upon knowing the possibility of playing powerhouse Japan (48th), Jordan (69th) and Iraq (103rd) in the Asian Cup. The recent draw for the prestigious tourney put the winner of the 2014 Challenge Cup in the company of the five-time World Cuppers and four-time Asian Cup titlists Japanese,  2004 Asian Cup quarterfinalist Jordanians, and 2007 Asian champs Iraqis.

“It (reaching the Asian Cup) is not an impossible dream anymore,” said Palami.

“I’m all over it.. I want to go to Australia,” said Fil-British goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.

The road to Australia will start in the Maldives Challenge Cup, where the Azkals are bunched with Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Laos in Group B.