Azkals unleash Holtmann in vital tiff vs host team

MANILA, Philippines — Forced to a scoreless stalemate by Yemen in the first game, the Philippines sets out for no less than a victory against host Mongolia today in a pivotal game in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers final round in Ulaanbaatar.

The Azkals are looking to exploit the world-class skills of debuting Bundesliga player Gerrit Holtmann to punch in goals and get the full three points in the 12:30 p.m. fixture at the MFF Stadium to bolster their bid for back-to-back stints in the Continental showpiece.

With one point from Tuesday’s draw, the Pinoy booters trail Palestine, which picked up three points from a 1-0 verdict over the Mongolians last Tuesday, in the chase for top spot in Group B.

The arrival of high-profile Fil-German recruit Holtmann, winner of the 2021 Goal of the Year in the German top flight, is a major boost for the misfiring Azkals but coach Thomas Dooley is tempering expectations.

“He’s really excited to be part of this team,” said Dooley. “But to expect that we will be going to win games because he is there, obviously, that’s too much. We have to be realistic. He needs time like everyone else. The players don’t know him, he doesn’t know his teammates. There is a time change and he just arrived from a 14, 15-hour flight.”