Azkals draw Indonesia, Vietnam; Cagara quits

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Azkals will return to Vietnam - site of one of their greatest feats in the modern era - when they compete in the 2014 Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup group stages in November.

The Azkals will be gunning for the crown after the two semifinal appearances, their confidence boosted by their historic second place feat in last May’s Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup.

But the Pinoy booters will do so without at least two of their Europe-based stalwarts Stephan Schrock and Dennis Cagara, who declared they won’t be playing for the Azkals anymore. Yesterday Schrock and Cagara took to social media to say  they ‘re quitting  the Phl team due to their displeasure with coach Thomas Dooley, apparently a result of getting limited playing time in the last Challenge Cup.

“I wanna be honest with you, cause you deserve the truth. As long as coach Dooley will lead the team, I won’t wear the jersey of Azkals again,” Schrock wrote on his Facebook page.

Fil-Danish Cagara followed suit and twitted: “Dooley is also the reason why I won’t play for the Azkals for the moment.”

Dooley was unavailable for comment but is expected to say his piece upon returning from Hanoi, where he attended yesterday’s draw for the Suzuki Cup.

The Azkals found themselves bracketed with Vietnam, along with Indonesia and the runner-up of the qualifying round in Group A of the Nov. 22-Dec. 30 meet, hoping to re-live the magic that was the “Miracle of Hanoi” in 2010.

In that fateful competition, the unheralded Pinoy booters upset the established order and pulled the rug from under then champion Vietnam, 1-0, in what was later adjudged as the “Upset of the Year.” Fuelled by that huge win, Phl XI went on to reach the semifinals for the first time and established itself as a regional power. In 2012, the Azkals beat the Vietnamese in the group stage and made another Last-4 appareance.

Group B, meanwhile, will be composed of defending champion and host Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the winner of the qualifying round.