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Post by stellarboy on May 15, 2012 16:08:51 GMT 8
Azkals face Guam in Panaad[/color] By Cedelf Tupas Philippine Daily Inquirer 3:39 pm | Tuesday, May 15th, 2012 MANILA, Philippines — Returning to the site of one their biggest victories, the Philippine Azkals will take on Guam on June 12 at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City. A match against Bahrain’s Under-22 team was initially considered before the Philippine Football Federation decided on inviting Guam, which is positioned near the bottom of the Fifa rankings. The game caps a three-match swing for the Azkals in June that starts with a game against Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur on June 1 and a date with Indonesia at the Rizal Memorial Stadium four days later. The Azkals last played in Panaad in February last year when they defeated Mongolia, 2-0, in their AFC Challenge Cup Pre-qualifying match. The national team also won against Timor Leste, 7-0, in the AFF Championship five years ago in Bacolod in one of the country’s most convincing wins in history. “We wanted to play against Bahrain Under-22 but it was also important for us to get Fifa ranking points and that can only happen if we play senior teams,” said Azkals manager Dan Palami. “The team is delighted at the prospect of playing again in Bacolod where support for the Azkals has also been overwhelming.” In preparation for the friendly matches, Azkals coach Michael Weiss said the team will be undergoing a week-long training camp in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental starting May 21. With the United Football League heading into the homestretch, Weiss said he thought it was better to leave his UFL players with their clubs as of the moment. But the German vowed to send a “very competitive” team for the three matches. The team, Weiss said, could actually include several new players as he plans to invite more local-based standouts, particularly Green Archers Globe goalkeeper Patrick Deyto. sports.inquirer.net/43731/azkals-face-guam-in-panaad
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Post by stellarboy on May 15, 2012 17:15:50 GMT 8
FIFA International Friendly: Philippines vs. Guam (Panaad Stadium, Bacolod) on June 12, Tues. LIVE at 6 p.m. (kick-off at 7 p.m.) on Studio 23.
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Post by dingodile5 on May 15, 2012 19:00:21 GMT 8
This game is now in FIFA website. GUM will taste Azkals full strength. I would prefer this than CHN U-23. Don't know if that game was affected by the tension in the Panatag Shoal.
Anyway Goodluck. I don't underestimate their team even though they're at the bottom in World Rankings. We've been there before. Because of our hardship, we rose from the darkness years.
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Post by mayaarms on May 15, 2012 19:49:20 GMT 8
hope they can still find an opponent in june 8. sayang ang friendlies eh
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Post by stellarboy on May 15, 2012 20:32:57 GMT 8
hope they can still find an opponent in june 8. sayang ang friendlies eh That would not push through. Ask Ace Bright. Anyway, the last time Guam met the Philippines team was during the 2000 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers at Ho Chi Minh City on January 23, 2000. (There was no Challenge Cup then.) Freddy Gonzales and Norman Fegidero was with this squad. The Philippines won 2-0, which was scored by both Norman and Troy Fegidero, but failed to progress as they finished 3rd in the group which included China PR and Vietnam. We lost to China 8-0 and to Vietnam 3-0. Guam, on the other hand, suffered double digit losses to those teams, 19-0 and 11-0 respectively. If the Azkals do give them a good fight, I think this will be an exciting match indeed. With Euro-players at our disposal now, the team might end up to having a double-digit scoreline as well. What do you think?
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Post by Tiggy on May 15, 2012 20:57:19 GMT 8
If we lose both games to Malaysia and Indonesia expect Guam to be "Slaughtered" Sorry Guam peepz,its really no match, UNLESS Weiss will put a younger lineup just for experience purposes (only if we won both games Weiss could just do that for the good,If not put all the rage on Guam by putting all the Euro-players)
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Post by darksephir on May 15, 2012 21:05:20 GMT 8
Why don't they use the U-22 team against Guam instead? To give them experience. Oh well, the ranking points will get wasted if PHL field the younger teams.
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Post by stellarboy on May 15, 2012 21:13:56 GMT 8
I wonder if Coach Weiss wants to call up some boys from the U-22 side, like Jeff Christiaens, Jacques van Bossche, and Marwin and Marvin Angeles. That would be good, although at some point they will compete for the lineup with other senior Euro-players at the coach's disposal.
I mean such a deep line-up for the team will cause some trouble for Coach Weiss, as he has to choose between adding senior experience to young players and putting up an impressive win.
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Post by jonny on May 15, 2012 22:42:25 GMT 8
I wonder if Coach Weiss wants to call up some boys from the U-22 side, like Jeff Christiaens, Jacques van Bossche, and Marwin and Marvin Angeles. That would be good, although at some point they will compete for the lineup with other senior Euro-players at the coach's disposal. I mean such a deep line-up for the team will cause some trouble for Coach Weiss, as he has to choose between adding senior experience to young players and putting up an impressive win. U22 NT in Thailand at that time. They are scheduled leaving on June 8
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Post by stellarboy on May 15, 2012 22:55:12 GMT 8
Thanks Jonny. Perhaps if Coach Weiss wants a sort of mixup of younger talents, that would probably not happen for now.
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Post by stellarboy on May 15, 2012 22:57:36 GMT 8
Azkals to return to Panaadby rick olivares After an absence of one year and 95 days, the Philippine Men's Football National Team will return to its long time home, Panaad Stadium, Bacolod to take on the #194th ranked and upset conscious Guam on June 12. The last time the Azkals, as the Philippine team is nicknamed, played in Panaad, they trounced Mongolia 2-0 in the first leg of the AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers. National team captain Emelio 'Chieffy' Caligdong' scored an incredible goal where he famously nutmegged Blue Wolves' goalkeeper Tseveensuren Ganbayar. Late in the match, Phil Younghusband scored a second goal that was crucial to the Azkals advancing to the next round as Mongolia defended their home ground at Ulan Bataar with a 2-1 victory. The Philippines advanced on aggregate, 3-2. Guam, despite their low ranking, promises to be no pushover as they are now coached by Englishman Gary White who is UEFA ‘A’ Licensed Professional Coach who serves on the United States Soccer’s National Coaching Staff. White played professionally in Australia Freemantle City and Bognor Regis. Guam’s national side most recently competed in the South Pacific Games and the 2006 AFC Challenge Cup. Guam registered its first victory over a member of FIFA on 11 March 2009, 35 years after making its debut. They beat Mongolia by 1-0 in the 2010 East Asian Cup Preliminary Competition, at home. The second victory was a 2-0 against American Samoa on 1 September 2011, in Group A at the 2011 Pacific Games in New Caledonia. The Guam XI has a number of players of Philippine descent. Ticket prices for the Guam versus Philippines match will be announced in the next few days. bleachersbrew.blogspot.com/2012/05/azkals-to-return-to-panaad.html
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Post by cjeagle on May 15, 2012 23:53:36 GMT 8
I am disappointed in this choice. With so many other competitive teams, including outside the region to invite, we should not have settled for such a low ranked team. Did we even try to invite countries from Central Asia, maybe possibly even a revenge match against Turkmenistan? That would have sold tickets. They might have even invited a relatively lower ranked team from Europe like Iceland for instance(rated higher than us) where Ray Jonsonn comes from. Some of those countries might jump at the opportunity to have a vacation in the Philippines and can afford to play for the plane fare. This choice makes the PFF look bad and will make it harder for us to invite more competitive teams in the future.
In any case, I would field experimental players against Guam reinforced by a few regulars. The U-22 team would be ideal, but as pointed out they would be busy with the AFC tournament.
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Post by dingodile5 on May 16, 2012 0:16:25 GMT 8
Too unfriendly? Azkals to play Guam, not China, on Independence DayInterAKTV · Tuesday, May 15, 2012 · 4:21 pm The Philippine national men’s football team will take on lowly Guam in a friendly match in Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City on June 12. The 148th-ranked Azkals were originally slated to play against China, the No. 66 team in the FIFA World Ranking, in an Independence Day showdown. The plan, however, did not push through. “They never confirmed,” Philippine Football Federation president Nonong Araneta told News5 on Tuesday. The Philippines and China are in the midst of a standoff over Scarborough Shoal, leading to increased tension between the two countries. But Araneta said that the political issue might not be related to the cancellation of the planned friendly match. “I don’t think it’s about that,” he said. The Azkals will now train their sights on Guam, ranked No. 194 in the world. Despite the lowly ranking, the Guamanians are expected to give a good fight, especially under English coach Gary White, a member of the United States national soccer team’s coaching staff. The game will mark the triumphant return of the Philippine side to Panaad Stadium, the site of one of the Azkals’ most memorable victories. They last played in Bacolod City in February last year, in a 2-0 victory over Mongolia in the AFC Challenge Cup qualifier highlighted by Chieffy Caligdong’s sensational goal. Apart from Guam, the PFF has also scheduled a friendly against Indonesia for the Azkals on June 5 at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium. – with a report from Francis Respicio, News5 www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/too-unfriendly-azkals-to-play-guam-not-china-on-independence-day
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Post by stellarboy on May 16, 2012 0:22:16 GMT 8
I think it's a good gesture for the Azkals to play with lower ranked teams. Remember, back in the days, we used to be in Guam's shoes. Nobody wants to play with us. But as competition gets better, I believe Guam, along with the bottom FIFA-affiliated teams, are stepping up their games, albeit slowly. That win against Mongolia would define potential to this team, and considering their new head coach is part of the USMNT's coaching staff. They had a good run at the 2011 Pacific Games, and that's no joke. They have a potential to produce upsets.
We'd better be not complacent about them.
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Post by jonny on May 16, 2012 0:56:21 GMT 8
Thanks Jonny. Perhaps if Coach Weiss wants a sort of mixup of younger talents, that would probably not happen for now. Both NT and U22 Nt is in Bacolod next week. I expect them to play a friendly there.
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