Local Azkals tapped for Peace Cup meet

MANILA, Philippines - Azkals coach Thomas Dooley yesterday named 24 mostly local-based players in his final lineup that will defend the crown in next week’s PFF Peace Cup against tough rivals Chinese Taipei, Myanmar and Palestine.

Dooley tapped Amani Aguinaldo, Misagh Bahadoran, Nate Burkey, Kenshiro Daniels, Jason de Jong, Anton del Rosario, Patrick Deyto, Curt Dizon, Chris and Simon Greatwich, Juani Guirado, Mark Hartmann, Carli de Murga, Manny Ott, OJ Porteria, Patrick Reichelt, Simone Rota, Daisuke Sato and Phil and James Younghusband from the United Football League.

Only three mainstays from abroad were called up for the Peace Cup, defender Rob Gier, midfielder Paul Mulders and goalkeeper Roland Muller.

Far Eastern alumnus Fitch Arboleda rounded out the roster as reserve.

“We’re building a great team for the Peace Cup that can win.

Obviously, we want to win every game, each tournament,” said Dooley.

He excused Fil-German Mike Ott, Fil-Swiss Martin Steuble and Fil-Spanish Javier Patino from the Peace Cup. The younger Ott and Steuble begged off as they’re trying to get a foot in the door in the Bundesliga second division and Major League Soccer, respectively.

Patino is going to Spain to get treatment. New Fil-Spanish Alvaro Silva, isn’t eligible yet as he is still to secure his Phl passport.

The Azkals will begin its title defense on Sept. 3 at Rizal Memorial against Chinese Taipei, a squad that beat them in the same tourney last year. Three days later, they will take on Asean rival Myanmar then on Sept. 9, they battle Asian Cup-bound Palestine, their conqueror in last May’s Asian Football Federation Challenge Cup.

“We look forward to Chinese Taipei. There’s something we have to prove. Last year we lost to them and we’re gonna do everything we can so that that’s not going to happen again,” said Dooley.

The former US skipper and World Cup veteran challenged the Azkals to live up to their billing as Southeast Asia’s top nation.

“If we want to be No. 1 in Southeast Asia, we have to beat that team, no question,” he said.

The showdown with Top 100 team Palestine should be an explosive, and more difficult, last day assignment.

“We wanna beat them, obviously because we lost against them last time (in the Challenge Cup). So we gonna go try to win, do what we can and hope we can find Palestine on the wrong foot and beat them (here),” said Dooley.