Fil-German to replace Etheridge

A NEW member of the Philippine Azkals national football team will most likely take the place of Fil-British goalkeeper Neil Etheridge when the team sees action in the Long Ten Cup next month.

Roland Mueller, a Fil-German goalie, who plays for MSV Duisburg in the second division Bundesliga league, is coming over this weekend to start training for the Azkals.

Mueller is one of two newcomers, whom coach Hans Michael Weiss is tapping for the Azkals. Mueller will be available for team inspection when the Azkals resume training in the coming week.
The Azkals will have joint practices with the national under-23 team, which is now in the final phases of its tryouts.

After the Azkals lost their home-and-away encounters with Kuwait in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, Etheridge informed the coaching staff that he may not be available for the Long Ten Cup and the Southeast Asian Games due to his commitments with Fullham.

Read more at Manila Standard

Vietnam turns down Azkals' invite for a friendly

Southeast Asian powerhouse Vietnam has also turned down the invitation of the Philippine Football Federation for a friendly duel with the Azkals on October 9 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.

PFF president Mariano "Nonong" Araneta said he plans to invite Bangladesh-a team the Azkals defeated, 3-nil, in the AFC Challenge Cup last March, but are ranked 16 places higher than the Philippines at 146 in the Fifa rankings.

Araneta said holding a friendly at a Fifa international date like October 9 is the only way to ensure that all players, especially those based in Europe, will be released by their clubs.

Among the Europe-based players in the national team are Stephan Schrock, who plays for Greuther Furth in the German second division; Neil Etheridge, the second-choice keeper of Fulham in the English Premiere League; and Paul Mulders, who plays for ADO Den Haag in the Dutch Eredivise.

"This is still part of our build-up for the Challenge Cup next year," Araneta said. "We have to prepare our team for that tournament, and one of the ways to do it is by having them play together in international matches."

Read more at Yahoo!

Southeast Asian Games-bound Azkals plan Japan training

The Phillipines Football Federation (PFF) is eyeing Japan as a possible training location for the national under-23 team that will see action in the Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia in December.

This was confirmed by PFF president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta, who said that the Under-23 Azkals plan to be in Japan for at least a week in October for the final phase of their buildup for the biennial meet.

The senior Azkals actually trained in Japan early this year for their away clash with Mongolia in the AFC Challenge Cup.

The Philippines has not participated in men’s football in the last two SEA Games stagings, but team officials are hopeful the Filipino booters can finally nail a medal this time.

Several players from the senior squad like goalkeeper Neil Etheridge and midfielders Jason de Jong, Manuel Ott, Yannick Tuason and Simon Greatwich are all eligible for the SEA Games, raising hopes of a strong performance in Jakarta.

Araneta said the Azkals are also holding a week-long training camp in Bacolod in September to prepare for the Long Teng Cup.

Read more at Philippine Daily Inquirer

James Younghusband jealous of brother Phil?

Azkals player James Younghusband laughed off rumors saying there is a competition between him and his brother, Phil Younghusband.

In an interview with “Showbiz News Ngayon,” James denied he is jealous that Phil is getting more attention, saying he will always support his brother.

“No jealousy whatsoever. If anything, I support my brother all the way. We support each other no matter what like,” he said.
According to James, he is happy whenever Phil gets new projects or new endorsements.

Read more at ABS-CBN

Teen Azkals tryouts in Panaad Aug. 27

The Philippine national Under 16 football team will  hold  a tryout at the Panaad pitch  at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow.
The tryouts dubbed  as the 1st Teen Azkals Festival will be conducted by national coach Glenn Ramos and supervised by team manager Alvin Carranza.

New talents are expected to join in the tryouts and  those who  display impressive skills will be tapped to join the exhibition games between the Teen Azkals and seasoned local teams.
On August 28, the Teen Azkals will play against the Under 19 team at 8:30 a.m. and will face the Ceres Team the next day at 3:30 p.m. Their final game will be against University of St. La Salle at 3:30 p.m. on August 30.

“This is a very laudable move from the team manager to keep the team together and explore new horizons for the team, and for the others as well,” Philippine Football Federation Secretary General Ramon Manuel said.

Carranza said the festival is aimed at spreading friendship and unifying Filipinos, who are known to be sports-minded, for the love of football.

“We hope to develop talents from the grassroots and seek scholarships for the young talents,” Carranza said, adding that with enough funding, the PFF hopes to establish a football university to mold young talents inside the Ultra-Philippine Olympic Committee-Philippine Sports Commission compound.

Read more at Visayan Daily Star

Philippine Azkals' 23-man line-up unveiled

After several weeks of tryouts, the Philippine Azkals unveiled its 23-man lineup for the FIFA World Cup qualifier against Sri Lanka.

According to Soccercentral.ph, those in the National team are:

1. Neil Etheridge (Goalkeeper)
2. Manuel Ott (Midfielder)
3. Robert Gier (Defender)
4. Angel Aldeguer Guirado (Midfielder)
5. Ray Jonsson (Defender)

6. Jerry Lucena (Midfielder)
7. Stephan Schrock (Defender)
8. Ian Araneta (Striker)
9. Alexander Borromeo (Defender)
10. Emelio Caligdong (Left Wing Midfielder/Forward)

11. Anton del Rosario (Defender)
12. Roel Gener (Defender)
13. Nestorio Margarse (Midfielder)
14. Edward Sacapano (Goalkeeper)
15. Misagh Bahadoran (Striker)

16. James Rochlitz (Midfielder)
17. Nathaniel Burkey (Midfielder)
18. Jason Sabio (Defender)
19. Ricardo Becite (Midfielder)
20. James Younghusband (Right Wing Midfielder)

21. Phil Younghusband (Striker)
22. Paul Mulders (Attacking Midfielder)
23. Dennis Cagara (Defender)

Read more at ABS-CBN

Azkals coach: German camp a good respite from Manila’s distractions

Philippine football team coach Michael Weiss is looking forward to putting the Azkals in a tighter leash when they undergo a two-week camp in Germany starting Monday.

“We will not put them into prison, but we will have control over them,” Weiss said Tuesday night before leaving for Germany to make the necessary preparations for the camp in Duren, a city near the Dutch border three hours away from Frankfurt.

“We need to control if we want to get to the next level. They can’t do strange stuff in Germany. They are young players, and there will always be temptations in a city like Manila.”

Weiss earlier rued the lack of focus of the team in Manila, where several players have been pre-occupied with a myriad of non-football related activities.

But Weiss believes his team’s mindset is where it should be now three weeks before the 2014 Fifa World Cup Qualifying first round match against Sri Lanka.

Weiss said the training in Germany would be enough to address chinks in the Azkals’ armor that were exposed in the 3-4 exhibition loss to a United Football League side last Sunday.

“There’s no reason to make a drama out of it,” he said, referring to the loss. “We know we have a long way to go.”

Read more at Philippine Daily Inquirer

Azkals assure fans of better play when they meet Sri Lanka

The men’s national football team has reassured fans of better performance against Sri Lanka in the World Cup Qualifiers on June 29 and July 3 after losing to the United Football League select team Sunday.

“Even if it was just an exhibition match, we can only learn from the loss and look to get better," Azkals team captain Aly Borromeo said in a tweet Monday.

Co-captain Chieffy Caligdong also said on Twitter, “To all AZKALS supporters, it was just a friendly game. In life, we may experience failures, and disappointments but it makes us stronger."

Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge was quick to move on. “Can't dwell on the past now," he said in his tweet.

It was the Azkals’ first time to compete with most of their half-Filipino members in play since their series win against Mongolia in February and March. They had an exhibition match in Iloilo last May 24, but without some of their key players.

Read more at GMA News

Reality check: UFL side stuns Azkals

A friendly match against hastily formed UFL All-Star team turned out to be a cold reality check for the Philippine Azkals.

An injury-time goal by Sudanese striker Izo El-Habbib lifted the All-Stars to a thrilling 4-3 upset over the Azkals on Sunday night in a friendly match played before a crowd of 10,000 at the University of Makati pitch.

The Azkals, after taking the lead through Chieffy Caligdong’s 10th minute opener, needed to muster two equalizing goals until El-Habbib, who plays for Global Smartmatic, struck a thunderous shot from a tight angle to break the nationals’ hearts.

Eric Dagroh, Kaya Cignal’s Ivorian striker, scored twice and Mark Hartmann, the prolific Fil-British attacker for the Loyola Meralco Sparks, added another goal for the UFL All-Stars, who thoroughly exposed gaps on the Azkals defense.

“I’m a little disappointed,” said Azkals coach Michael Weiss. “Its an indication that we have to improve. We lost a match that we shouldn’t have lost.”

The Azkals are preparing for the 2014 Fifa World Cup Qualifying first-round home-and-away against Sri Lanka on June 29 and July 3.

Read more at Philippine Daily Inquirer

Rizal Memorial readied for Azkals-Sri Lanka game

The old Rizal Memorial Stadium is being readied for the FIFA World Cup qualifying game between the Philippine Azkals and Sri Lanka in June.

The 77-year-old stadium badly needs to be refurbished in time for the game between the Azkals and Sri Lanka for a chance to join the World Cup on July 3.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), which manages the stadium, is banking on diversifying conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) to provide assistance in preparing the stadium meet the standards of FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association or International Federation of Association Football).

The Philippine Footbal Federation (PFF), which joined the SMC officials during a recent visit at the stadium, said they found no major problem in the venue except for some minor ground repairs.

Read more at ABS-CBN News

Visayas Football regional finals kick off in Dumaguete

Football fever grips Dumaguete City as the Visayas regional finals of the Suzuki Under 23 Football Tournament kicks off today at the Silliman University Ballfield.

Five teams from Iloilo, Bacolod, Cebu, Dumaguete and Leyte will face off at the ballfield from April 15 to 19 from which two winning teams will earn the honor to represent Visayas during the Suzuki Under 23 National Cup on May 13 to 15.

The soft opening game saw the Cebu and Iloilo teams battling it out in the field at 8:00 am today.

Read more at PIA

SMC to fund Rizal Stadium repair for Azkals game

IT’S official.

The Rizal Memorial Football Stadium will be the venue of the Philippine Azkals’ Asian World Cup qualifying series home game against Sri Lanka on July 3, according to Philippine Football Federation general secretary Chito Manuel.

Manuel said PFF president Mariano Araneta informed him of the decision last Wednesday evening, adding the match will start at 3:30 p.m. to do away with night lights.

The first game of the series will be played in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo on June 29.

Manuel said Araneta decided to hold the game at the Rizal Stadium after Philippine Sports Commission chief Richie Garcia furnished him with a report submitted by the Department of Public Works and Highways, whose engineers inspected the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, including the football stadium, last February.

"Based on the DPWH report and the recommended repairs on the stadium, the PFF has decided to hold the match in Manila," Manuel said, adding San Miguel Corp. has committed to fund repairs at the Stadium.

Read more at Malaya

RMSC to host Azkals' home tie vs Sri Lanka

Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Mariano "Nonong" Araneta and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Ricardo Garcia confirmed on Thursday that the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex will be the venue of the Azkals' home tie against Sri Lanka on July 3.

The Azkals will play the first leg of their Asian qualifying round for the 2014 World Cup against Sri Lanka on June 29 in Colombo.

Araneta said San Miguel Corp. has promised to renovate RMSC's grandstand seats and score board in the historic stadium.

Garcia said SMC has the means for the renovations, including repainting, constructing additional locker rooms and a media center, with the cost expected to reach more than a million pesos.

"(RMSC) has a seating capacity of 22,000. The locker rooms and dugouts will also be renovated, but the PFF will look for a separate sponsor to take care of it," added Araneta.

The PFF president said they are hoping to start the renovations on the first week of May.

Garcia made the announcement that RMSC is fit to host the Azkals-Sri Lanka game after the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) made an inspection of the 100-year-old sports stadium, which hosted the 1981 and 1991 Southeast Asian Games


Read more at GMA News

Younghusband bros to teach football to Lanao kids in July

Football heartthrobs James and Phil Younghusband have committed to visit Lanao del Norte this coming July, 2011 as they continue to promote the sport of football here in the country.

Putting their new-found popularity to good use, the Younghusband brothers have established "The Younghusband Football Academy (TYFA)" with the aim of nurturing and developing the next generation of Filipino football players.

The TYFA has been teaching public school students and Physical Education teachers the basics of football--for free. To date, the brothers have already conducted clinics in Tarlac City and Paniqui in Tarlac, Puerto Princesa in Palawan and Taguig City in Metro Manila.

"We have seen how natural Filipinos are on the football field and this inspires us to transfer everything we have learned to them and see them achieve excellence," Philip, the younger of the Younghusband siblings said during the last PSA forum.

Read more at Sun Star Cagayan de Oro

FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking

#155 Philippines for Male FIFA World Ranking

See more at FIFA

Azkals focused on game vs Sri Lanka, not FIFA ranking

Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Mariano "Nonong" Araneta said the men's national football team, more popularly known as the Azkals, is focused on having a strong showing in their World Cup qualifying round match against Sri Lanka and not on the country's FIFA world ranking.

Araneta said the FIFA ranking is the least of their problems.

"They (Azkals) are more focused on building a strong team and in their upcoming match against Sri Lanka," said Araneta.
The Philippines dropped four places in the latest FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association or International Federation of Association Football) world rankings, sliding down from 151st spot to 155.

Araneta said the country's 2-1 loss to Mongolia in the second leg of their playoff match in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup and the scoreless draw against Palestine in the group stages could be the reason behind the Philippines' slide to the 155th ranking.

Both Mongolia (179) and Palestine (170) are teams ranked lower than the Philippines. The country jumped to 151st spot last December after beating Vietnam (134) in a Group B match in the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup.

Araneta said the Azkals won't take Sri Lanka lightly, even if it seems to be a weaker team, having failed to win a single match in Group D of the AFC Challenge Cup in Nepal. The Philippines will visit Sri Lanka on June 29 for the first leg of their two-game series in Colombo.

Read more at GMA News

Philippine Azkals drop in FIFA world ranking

Despite the Azkals’ entry to the AFC Challenge Cup tournament proper last March, the Philippines fell 4 rungs in the latest FIFA world rankings.

In the ranking table published on FIFA’s website Wednesday, the Philippines fell to 155th from 151st place.

A Philippine Football Federation (PFF) official, however, told abs-cbnNEWS.com that it is unfazed by the development.

“The FIFA considered the strength of a team’s opponent as the most major aspect of the change in rankings,” PFF technical director Aris Caslib said.

“’Yung last 5 matches natin, we took on teams with lower rankings,” he added, referring to the Azkals' matches against Mongolia (formerly 181), Myanmar (161), Palestine (178) and Bangladesh (179).

In the said matches, the Philippines recorded 2 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss. The Azkals then made it into the AFC Challenge Cup. Tournament proper that will be held next  year.

Read more at ABS-CBN News

Phl Azkals mull WC buildup in Germany

With a training camp in Qatar and Australia no longer feasible, the Philippine Azkals are eyeing a stint in Germany as part of their preparations for their 2014 Fifa World Cup Asian Qualifiers matchup with Sri Lanka.

Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Nonong Araneta said team manager Dan Palami and the Azkals’ German coach Michael Weiss are working out a possible session in Germany for their planned foreign training on June 7-17. This after Qatar and Australia could not guarantee available teams for tune-up matches.

“I’ve instructed Dan and coach Michael to check if we can get teams to play for tune-up games if we go to Germany,” Araneta told The STAR.

The Azkals were originally looking at Qatar for their buildup for June 29 away game and July 3 home match with Sri Lanka. Australia was another possible training site.

Read more at The Philippine Star

Heart supports Daniel's Azkals dream; Marian 'hides' sexy pictorial from Dingdong

Young star Heart Evangelista is giving boyfriend Daniel Matsunaga her full support in his wish to join the country’s popular football team, the Azkals—which, of course, includes popular Fil-Brit brothers Phil and James Younghusband.

“He’s very talented,” Evangelista revealed about her Brapanese boyfriend. “The other day he had this tie-up with a really, really nice company with sports web; they [shot a] video [of] his game. He’s doing well and sana matupad ang pangarap niya,” she related on “24 Oras,” April 12.

Evangelista also revealed that, as a couple, they have already talked about their future plans, which includes marriage. She stressed, though, that there are no plans yet to do so in the near future.

Read more at Manila Bulletin

Limpag: Araneta on the Azkals: One great barkada

SO,” I asked Ian Araneta. “What are the Azkals like off the field?”

“Ganito lang,” he said. “Parang barkada.”

“Ganyan lang?” I asked, while looking at the beer he had in his hand.

“Hinde. Ngayon lang to,” he said. “Simple lang kami, parang barkada lang.”

I met Ian for the first time when he dropped by Cebu together with Paolo Pascual, the PFF’s Ace Bright and one of the team coaches. I, together with MCB and CDG, was invited by Paolo’s dad, Joel, for a get-together at the Pascuals’ farmhouse up in Balamban.

Also present were Paolo’s sisters Carmel and Nina and the Pascuals’ family friend Albert Flores and son Miguel.

That two-day sojourn was Araneta’s first real vacation since the team started training for the second leg of the AFC Challenge Cup match in Mongolia more than a month ago.

And on the day he returned to Manila, he went straight to work, scoring for the Air Force Riders in their 3-0 win against Kaya FC in the United Football League.

Enlisted personnel like Ian, Emilio Caligdong and Yanti Barsales are rarely free since aside from national team duties, they have other responsibilities. Caligdong and the durable Barsales also scored in that 3-0 win over Kaya FC, Ali Borromeo’s club.

Read more at Sun Star Cebu

Phl Azkals mull WC buildup in Germany

 With a training camp in Qatar and Australia no longer feasible, the Philippine Azkals are eyeing a stint in Germany as part of their preparations for their 2014 Fifa World Cup Asian Qualifiers matchup with Sri Lanka.

Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Nonong Araneta said team manager Dan Palami and the Azkals’ German coach Michael Weiss are working out a possible session in Germany for their planned foreign training on June 7-17. This after Qatar and Australia could not guarantee available teams for tune-up matches.

“I’ve instructed Dan and coach Michael to check if we can get teams to play for tune-up games if we go to Germany,” Araneta told The STAR.

The Azkals were originally looking at Qatar for their buildup for June 29 away game and July 3 home match with Sri Lanka. Australia was another possible training site.

Read more at ABS-CBN News

When the Azkals rage is stilled - Response

This is a response to Mr. Manolo Inigo’s column entitled “When the Azkals rage is stilled” which appeared in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – Dear Mr. Inigo, thank you very much for ventilating your concerns over the decision to hold the World Cup qualifying game of the Philippine Azkals on July 3rd against Sri Lanka at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. Rest assured that we are mindful of the expenses that will be incurred in the hosting of this game.

We would like, however, to correct the impression that the funds to be used to prepare for the game will be that of our hard-earned taxpayers. The Philippine Football Federation (PFF), which is a private non-profit organization, will be investing in the refurbishment of Rizal Memorial using funds which have generously been provided to us by our private sector partners who like us believe in the potential of the Filipino in eventually competing on the world stage in the sport of football.

We would also like to assure you that the decision to hold the World Cup qualifying game in Manila was not made on a whim. Several other potential host cities and provinces were considered during the selection process.

We are and will continue to be grateful to the city of Bacolod and the province of Negros Occidental for being gracious hosts of the Asian Challenge Cup qualifier at the Panaad Stadium. It is, however, also important to bear in mind that as we strive to gain a foothold in the consciousness of the Philippine sporting public, it is only proper that we consider other deserving locations for hosting events like this.

The Azkals are not ours; they belong to the Filipino people who they continuously strive to ably represent. As such, it is our obligation to share them with as many of our countrymen as possible by holding their matches at various locales. Panaad and other sites in the Philippines will continue to be considered for future fixtures of the Azkals as well as the other national football teams.

Read more at ladrido.net

Rizal stadium needs DPWH safety clearance for Azkals match vs Sri Lanka

The structural integrity of Rizal Memorial Stadium’s grandstand only needs the safety stamp of the Department of Public Works and Highways for it to become the venue of the Philippine football team’s next home game.

“If [it] is structurally sound, we will go for Rizal Memorial,” Philippine Football Federation president Mariano Araneta told the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Tuesday night.

Read more at Philippine Daily Inquirer

Corporate sponsors back PFF bid to refurbish Rizal Stadium

CORPORATE sponsors, including conglomerate San Miguel Corp., are interested to help the Philippine Football Federation refurbish the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium for the Azkals’ World Cup qualifying match against Sri Lanka on July 3, according to PFF president Mariano Araneta Jr.

Araneta, POC chairman Monico Puentevella, national team manager Dan Palami and SMC representative Noli Eala met with PSC chief Richie Garcia yesterday to discuss the availability of the venue.

"There are many sponsors who are willing to help us stage the Azkals’ match at the Rizal Memorial, and San Miguel is one of them," Araneta said during the meeting.

Eala, formerly the SBP executive director, declined to issue any statement, opting to leave the meeting to inspect the facility.

"If the PFF believes it can generate income by staging the match of the national team at Rizal, then let’s give it a try," said Puentevella.

Read more at Malaya

Still no final venue for Azkals' home game vs Sri Lanka

The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) said they will wait for the Department of Public Works and Highways' (DPWH) report regarding the structural integrity of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex before deciding whether to use the historic venue for the Azkals' home game against Sri Lanka on July 3.

"We have all decided to wait for the DPWH to come up with their evaluation regarding the structural integrity of the venue. If the DPWH gives their approval, there is a strong chance that the Azkals' home game will be held at (RMSC)," said PFF president Mariano "Nonong" Araneta, after their meeting with Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) officials.

Sri Lanka will host the first game on June 29, while the Azkals will play the second leg of its World Cup Asian qualifying round on July 3. The winner of the series will advance to play Kuwait.

There are still unconfirmed reports that cracks were found at the grandstand bleachers that can endanger the Azkals' legion of fans, who would want to watch and cheer for them when they face Sri Lanka.

Read more at GMA News

Pacman thrilled to have Azkals watch his bout

Manny Pacquiao sounded pleased after hearing reports that the Philippine Azkals wanted to watch his upcoming fight this May 7.

The boxing superstar said it's an honor to have the country's booters watch him, as he takes on "Sugar" Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

"Manonood daw sila. Karangalan ko na nandoon sila, makasuporta sa akin," he told in an exclusive interview with abs-cbnNEWS.com.

Pacquiao is in the US preparing for his match against Mosley. He will be defending his World Boxing Organization welterweight belt from the American.

Pacquiao stressed that, like what the Azkals have been trying to do in their matches, he will again try to make the country proud during his fight abroad.

Read more at ABS-CBN

When the Azkals rage is stilled

This cash-starved country can save a lot of hard-earned taxpayers’ money if only local football officials, including that of the Philippine Sports Commission, will put on hold their plan to renovate the dilapidated Rizal Memorial Stadium as venue for the 2014 World Cup first-round match between the Philippines and Sri Lanka on July 3.
Please, don’t make this World Cup Qualifying so big and costly at the expense of millions of Filipinos during these hard and trying times. Give the football match back to Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City, which successfully hosted the AFC Challenge Cup qualifier between the Philippines and Mongolia last February.
Since the Panaad staged not only the AFC Challenge Cup and some other international soccer spectacle with flying colors, I see no reason why the forthcoming Philippines-Sri Lanka World Cup qualifying should be held at the outmoded Rizal Memorial football turf.
For the record, a crowd of more than 20,000 attended the February match at Panaad, even though the government did not spend so much.

Read more at Philippine Daily Inquirer

PFF pushes for PH-Sri Lanka match at Rizal Stadium

IF the Philippine Azkals’ home World Cup qualifying match against Sri Lanka is held at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium on June 3, it could draw a sellout crowd and generate as much as P5 to 6 million in gate receipts, according to Philippine Football Federation president Mariano Araneta Jr.

"The demand for having the match at the Rizal Memorial stadium is high, and we are being swamped with inquiries even this early for tickets," Araneta said yesterday.

The Rizal Memorial Stadium is one of two options for the match, Araneta said, the other being the Panaad Sports Complex in Bacolod City.

"We hope to sell VIP tickets at the main grandstand for P1,000 each," he added, "while special areas in the open bleachers could fetch P500. "Altogether we are eyeing P5 to P6 million from the gate sales."

Araneta said unlike the Filipino booters’ match in Panaad last February, they will not give away free tickets since the association does not expect any subsidy from either the AFC or FIFA for the World Cup qualifier.

Read more at Malaya

Fil-Ams try out for Azkals

They came to the Bay Area for a chance to play for the flag -- the Philippine flag.

Some flew in from as far as the East Coast and Canada.

For one weekend, Gellert Park in Daly City has been their field of dreams.

“Filipino ako eh,” said 19-year-old Martin Rodil. “So [I’m] playing for a sport I love, but not only that, playing for my country. It’s a big reward sa buhay ko.”

“I have a lot of heart,” said 18-year-old football hopeful Dante Anderson. “On the wings, I could work hard for them.”

Martin and Dante are among the 37 Filipino-American athletes who tried out for the Philippine national football team.

Read more at ABS-CBN

Fil-German ready to play for Azkals

Filipino-German Stephan Markus Schrock, a highly-touted right back who plays for the German second division side Greuther Fürth, has recovered from his knee injury and looks ready to play when the Philippine Azkals begin their ambitious quest to qualify in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The 24-year-old Schrock, who planed in the country last month to process his passport, was last seen attending the Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards Night while in crutches. But his fast recovery, he said, now allows him to jog and stay fit in time for the World Cup qualifiers this June.

"My recovery is much faster than I and the doctors first thought," Schrock, whose Filipina mother is from Cebu told the Bulletin in an e-mail yesterday.

"I do jogging for 10 days now although I have to build up some muscles around the right knee because I lost a lot of them in the last 12 weeks of my injury."

Read more at Manila Bulletin

Daly City park Azkals’ newest field of dreams

For Filipino-American players aspiring to be Azkals, the old Gellert Park in Daly City’s Serramonte neighborhood has become the newest field of dreams.

Skipper Aly Borromeo and defender Anton del Rosario, both Bay Area-based players of the Philippine national football team, are home to conduct tryouts for the Azkals at Gellert’s new-generation synthetic pitch this weekend.

Tryout times are at 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday (Sunday in Manila) and 10 a.m. to noon or 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Soccer moms won’t be pacing the sidelines, but Borromeo and Del Rosario expect the Gellert turf, with the look but not the smell of grass, to attract a crowd when the duo, along with volunteer college coaches give prospects the once-over.

When I last talked to Del Rosario, he said 30 players and counting had indicated interest in displaying their soccer skills and talents for the coaching panel to evaluate.

The prospects got the word about the tryouts, mostly by way of the social media—Facebook, Twitter, blogs and through “connections and affiliations in the Philippine football community” stateside, he said.

Despite the short lead time and lack of a drum beat in the conventional media, response to the tryouts has been very good, he reports. “I have been keeping in touch with all the registrants and updating them. It’s going to be great and exciting. I’m fascinated to see what kind of players the tryouts will bring.”

Read more at Philippine Daily Inquirer

Azkals’ Caligdong inspires young football players

Philippine Azkals footballer Chieffy Caligdong cheered on young football players competing in a tournament held in his home town of Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo.

The tournament was participated by children 11 years old and below.

“Ang mabibigay ko na advice, i-enjoy lang nila [ang laro],” said Caligdong, one of the full-blooded Filipino players in the Azkals’ line-up.

Read more at ABS-CBN News

Phil on track to recovery

FILIPINO-BRITISH striker Phil Younghusband’s rehabilitation of his torn right hamstring is on track, according to Azkals fitness coach Sepp Malinay.

"He (Younghusband) has begun strengthening workouts on his hamstring, aqua therapy and core training," Malinay said yesterday of the 24-year-old national team mainstay, who suffered the injury in the Azkals’ 1-2 loss to Mongolia in the return match of their Asian Challenge Cup qualifying series in Ulan Bator early last month.

This forced Younghusband to miss the four-nation ACC group tournament in Myanmar later last month where the nationals advanced to the main draw after finishing second behind Palestine with one win and two draws.

"Phil has three hours of therapy thrice a week on his hamstring. He’s young so he is recovering fast," he added.

Read more at Malaya

GATORADE engages Azkals into Sweat Test Program

The Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) recently conducted the Sweat Test Program to the members of the Philippine Football team, more known as the “Azkals", to ensure that all players are fit and properly hydrated before facing tight matches in the AFC Challenge Cup.

GSSI, Gatorade’s research facility, performs the Gatorade Sweat Test among various sports teams to check if the players are properly hydrated as they engage in sports. The information acquired is used by the team physicians to formulate proper hydration protocols and hydration plans which are customized for each athlete.


Steve Romasanta, Marketing Director of Gatorade, explains that the Sweat Test results are essential in helping the Azkals be on top of the games. “We are happy to engage the Azkals in this program. The goal of GSSI is to help improve athletes’ performance through research. I am sure that the results of the test will help them develop their hydration plans to further improve their performance in the field."

The Gatorade Sweat Test team visited the practice of the Azkals at the University of Makati before the team departed for Myanmar to administer the sweat test. Each member of the team submitted a urine sample, was weighed in and underwent the sweat patching procedure while doing their basic routines during practice.


Read more at GMA News

Azkals eye Fil-Spaniard for qualifier

Filipino-Spanish Juan Luis Guirado, a midfielder who plays in the Spanish Division III team Lermeno of Burgos, may join the Philippine Azkals in their bid to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Juan, 31, is the older brother of Angel, an attacking midfielder who helped the Filipino booters advanced in the finals of the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup last month in Yangon, Myanmar.

Azkals coordinator Patrick Ace Bright said team manager Dan Palami is hoping to get the elder Guirado, who could be a big boost for the national football team seeking a huge victory in their World Cup qualifying first-round match against Sri Lanka on June 29.

“We’re hoping that he (Juan) could process his Filipino passport in time for the qualifier,” Bright said Monday.

Read more at Manila Bulletin

No free tickets in Azkals home match vs Sri Lanka

 Bad news for Azkals fans: there will be no free tickets in the Philippine football team's home match against Sri Lanka for the FIFA World Cup 2014 first round qualifiers.

The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) made the announcement on the ASEAN Football Federation's official website on Sunday, saying that it will have to raise funds to cover for the expenses of hosting the event on July 3.

"What is certain is that there won't be any free seating for the public," said PFF president Mariano Araneta, adding, "We don't know if we can get any subsidy from FIFA for the hosting and we have to rent for the said field and shoulder other expenses."

Read more at ABS-CBN

Fil-Dutch midfielder in hot water

UNLESS he plays it straight, Filipino-Dutch midfielder Jason de Jong may miss future assignments for the national team, according to coach Hans Michael Weiss.

"I don’t know if I will consider him (De Jong) because of lack of discipline," Weiss said shortly before leaving for Germany to personally recruit players for the Azkals’ Asian World Cup qualifying series against Sri Lanka in June.

"A player on the national team can’t behave like him," added Weiss of De Jong, 21, although he declined to elaborate what the problem was with the mid-fielder.

Playing as the "enforcer" in midfield, De Jong was a vital cog in the Azkals’ successful campaign in last year’s AFF Suzuki Cup where the country reached the semifinals of Southeast Asia’s men’s football championship for the first time in its 14-year history.

De Jong was also apparently giving problems to his Indonesian ballclub Persiba Balikpapan, which signed him up for $80,000 for the rest of the Indonesian Super League.

Read more at Malaya

Azkals begin quest vs Sri Lankans

The Philippine Azkals will begin their step-by-step quest to qualify for the 2014 Fifa World Cup against Sri Lanka, a lower-ranked side they are confident of hurdling.


Ranked 151st in the world by the International Football Federation (Fifa), the Azkals got No. 173 Sri Lanka for their first round opponent in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers when the Asian Football Confederation conducted the official draw yesterday at its office in Malaysia.


The Azkals, currently on a break after securing a historic spot to the main draw of the AFC Challenge Cup last week, will take on Sri Lanka in the latter’s turf on June 29 and play host on July 3, either at the Rizal Memorial pitch in Manila or at Panaad stadium in Bacolod City.


Should they get past the Sri Lankans in the home-and-away encounter, the Azkals will advance to the second round against No. 103 Kuwait, a more established football nation that made one World Cup finals appearance (1982) and qualified for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.


Read more at The Philippine Star

Phil on Angel: 'Sana may future kami'

In an interview with Cinema News and Push.com.ph last March 30, Phil Younghusband admitted that he invited Angel Locsin to attend a Christian church service and a dinner at Serendra last weekend.

“I invited her. I’m Catholic, but I do go to Christian churches. Maganda kasi maganda ang music. There’s more interaction sa Christian church. Pero nagutom kami [kaya kami nag-dinner]. We were very hungry so we needed to eat. Yes, I always enjoy Angel's company. Sobrang privileged ako. For Angel Locsin to give me attention, it’s a good feeling,” he said.

But aside from that, he refused to give any more details about their much-talked-about date to avoid further intrigues about their budding romance.

“Before, I expressed my admiration for Angel. Ngayon gusto ko tahimik, kasi now, merong details. Everyone wants to know what time we met, where we met, but I thought that should be kept quiet and secret. One thing is for sure, I’m not using Angel for publicity. It hurts that people think that I’m using her for publicity because I’m not,” said Younghusband.

Read more at ABS-CBN News

Azkals distribute goods to flood victims in Leyte

Several members of the Philippine Azkals on Friday visited the province of Leyte, which was badly hit by flooding during the past few weeks.

The Filipino booters distributed relief goods to the delight of flood victims in Tacloban, Leyte.

They also donated the bonuses they received following their successful stint in the recent Challenge Cup group stage.

Each Azkals player earlier received $1,000 from team manager Dan Palami for successfully qualifying in the 2012 Challenge Cup tournament proper.

Read more at ABS-CBN News

Know your Azkals: The Filipino in Anton

When Anton Del Rosario walked inside the coffee shop with his French-Filipina girlfriend, you would honestly think you landed on an episode of The Hills. But don’t let the foreign looks and American twang mislead you. Anton is just as Filipino as we are – well almost. 

Anton’s Fil-Am dad visited Manila after the Vietnam War. Within three weeks, he met Anton’s mom, courted her and married her. They moved to San Francisco where Anton was born and raised along with his brothers. 

“I grew up in San Francisco, but the Philippines is my home too," he says. 

Anton has never lost touch with his roots here in Manila. His family used to visit the Philippines twice or thrice a year for vacation. He even played for De La Salle University’s football team for a year. 

Although he trained with the Azkals for the 2000 World Cup Qualifiers, it wasn’t until the 2004 Tiger Cup that he seriously committed to playing for the country. 

“It was the first tournament I joined with Aly, Ian, Chieffy and Chris. In 2004, we beat East Timor. It’s my fondest memory in the Azkals because it was the team’s first win in like 12 years," he says. 


Read more at GMA News

Azkal’s Greatwich meets Pacman

Azkals’ midfielder Simon Greatwich joined the pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao in his high altitude training here in this mountain resort last week.

Pacquiao opened his Wednesday work out with an early morning jog at the pristine Santa Lucia Estate together with Greatwich, who is fresh from Philippine National Football Team Azkals win in Myanmar.

Greatwich hopped on a bus Tuesday night and took a five-hour journey to the city to finally meet one of the country’s pride in sports.

Few weeks after the Azkals high altitude training in Baguio City and Benguet, the pound for pound king came back to Baguio for his own high altitude training in preparation for his title defense on May 7 against Sugar Shane Mosley for the World Boxing Organization welterweight belt.

Read more at Philippine Information Agency

Matanglawin: Goal!

Football in the Philippines is fast catching-on and Kuya Kim won’t certainly miss the opportunity to learn all about this interesting sport from none other than the Futkaleros of Tondo. But when the game takes a turn towards the unexpected, can the futkaleros count on Kuya Kim to score the winning goal?

It’s all over television. It’s all over the papers. And everyone is talking about football especially with Philippine Football team Azkals’ win against Mongolia in a 2-0 match last February 2011.

But did you know that football isn’t a new sport in the country? In fact, we were the first in Asia to establish a national football team way back in 1907. One may confuse it with soccer, but Kuya Kim is quick to reply that football and soccer are one and the same, except for the United States who consider football to be played with helmets and body-paddings with a matching elongated ball. In the Philippines, the local version is called futkal.

Fast forward to present time and one can count at least 8,000 Filipino football fans and various college and university-based football teams such as the University of the Philippines’ FC Sikad and University of Sto. Tomas Golden Boosters, whom Kuya Kim and Ryan Bang will be learning football from.

Football has really reached new heights since its conceptualization in 1922 by Harold Searles Thornton. The sport is relatively quick to learn and serves a ground for training whether it be for physical prowess, keeping trim or even balancing one’s time every day.

In the olden days and earlier versions of football, the Romans –led by Emperor Julius Caesar- and the Chinese – during the Han dynasty- used the sport as military training exercises. Caesar called it harpastum, the root word being harpastos which means “to snatch.” The Chinese dubbed it as Tsu Chu and used balls made with animal fur and leather.

Read more at ABS-CBN News

Azkals to play day match at old Rizal

Except for some minor ground repairs and a thorough check of the stadium itself, the Rizal Memorial football field is definitely capable of hosting the Azkals’ home game against Sri Lanka on July 3.

Philippine Football Federation president Mariano Araneta, Azkals team manager Dan Palami, head coach Michael Weiss and Philippine Olympic Committee chairman Monico Puentevella made an ocular inspection of the venue yesterday.

They didn’t see any major problem.

“As far as the pitch is concerned, there are some patches, some holes that are not seen because they are covered with grass. We have to fix that because it may post danger to the players,” said Palami.

“But it can be done in a month and with still three months left. Overall, the pitch is okay,” he added.

Puentevella said they also have to look into the provisions needed to host an international match, like an adequate dressing room and a media room.

Read more at The Philippine Star

Azkals eye Middle East training camp

The Philippine Azkals are likely to camp out in a Middle East country for their build up for their Round 1 match against Sri Lanka in the qualifying tournament for the 2014 World Cup, Philippine Football Federation chief Mariano Araneta said Thursday.

“We’re looking at either Qatar or UAE,” said Araneta, noting that the training could begin anywhere between June 7-17.

The Azkals will battle their South Asian rivals in a home and away series staring on June 29 in Colombo and July 3 in the Philippines.

Asked why they want to train in a Middle East country, Araneta said: “Without looking past Sri Lanka, coach (Michael) Weiss and Dan Palami (team manager) also want to prepare against Kuwait in Round 2. We know that the weather in Kuwait is extremely hot so training in a Middle East country will get the players acclimatized with the weather condition.”

Read more at Manila Bulletin

Rizal stadium likely venue for Azkals’ qualifying match for World Cup

It looks like the historic Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila has the inside track in the selection for the site of the Philippines’ 2014 World Cup Qualifying first-round match against Sri Lanka on July 3.

Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta said on Thursday there would be enough time to construct temporary air-conditioned dressing rooms and media rooms as part of the requirements of the Asian Football Confederation.

But Araneta clarified that any kind of work to be done in the stadium should have clearance from the Philippine Sports Commission, which has been managing the facility.

Araneta, who checked the facility together with national team manager Dan Palami, also said that the match could be played at 4 p.m., so that additional lights would not have to be installed in the stadium.

The stability of the seats and the benches in the stadium should also be checked to ensure the safety of football fans, Araneta said.

Read more at Philippine Daily Inquirer

Azkals refuse to take Sri Lankans lightly

"WE’LL prepare like we are up against (reigning World Cup champion) Spain."

This is how dead serious both coach Hans Michael Weiss and national team manager Dan Palami are about the Philippine Azkals’ build-up for their opening round Asian World Cup qualifying match against Sri Lanka in June.

"They may be lower in the world rankings but there is no room for complacency," Palami said yesterday.

"All of the teams will be playing in the biggest football tournament so almost everybody will improve. We just cannot afford to be lax," Palami added after inspecting the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium with Weiss.

The decades-old facility is being eyed as a possible venue for the nationals’ home match against the Sri Lankans on July 3, with the Panaad Sports Complex in Bacolod City another option, according to Palami.

Read more at Malaya

Rizal Stadium needs sprucing up, says Palami

WITH some minor improvements, the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium could be a suitable venue for the Philippines’ Asian World Cup qualifying home game against Sri Lanka, according to national team manager Dan Palami.

Palami, coach Hans Michael Weiss and Philippine Football Federation president Mariano Araneta Jr. toured the pre-World War II facility yesterday to determine if it could meet FIFA and AFC standards.

The last time the Rizal Memorial football field was used for international play was during the 1991 Manila Southeast Asian Games.

"Some of the seats in the main grandstand may need repairs since their support underneath is corroded, and we do not want to have any accidents," Palami said. "This infrastructure has to be fixed."

He also noted the cramped locker rooms with low ceilings at the stadium "where our tall players like Phil and James Younghusband and Angel Guirado might have to crouch all the time."

Read more at Malaya

PFF chief: Azkals complete for World Cup qualifiers

The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) is confident that the Philippine Azkals will have most of their key players, including those who are playing in professional leagues, in time for their important World Cup qualifying games.

PFF President Mariano “Nonong” Araneta said in an interview with ANC’s Hardball that the professional players, mostly Filipino-foreigners, are likely to be allowed by their mother clubs to join the Nationals for the FIFA World Cup qualifying games.

“Since it's already the end of the leagues (football season) in Europe, they are coming here by May or June for the preparations,” said Araneta.

Among the Azkal members playing in professional leagues abroad are Filipino-British goalkeeper Neil Etheridge (Fulham Club), Filipino-Danish fullback Jerry Lucena (Danish First Division side AGF Aarhus), and Filipino-Dutch midfielder Jason de Jong (Persiba Balikpapan in Indonesia).

Read more at ABS-CBN News

Brazil 2014 draw stirs Asian hopefuls

Nearly nine months on since the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ concluded, Asia put the wheels in motion for Brazil 2014 by conducting the draw for the opening two qualifying rounds on Wednesday. 16 of the continent's lowest ranked sides will battle against each other in the first phase, with the eight winners advancing to join a further 22 teams in the next stage. Australia, Korea Republic, Japan, Korea DPR and Bahrain – the confederation’s top five teams in South Africa 2010 qualifying – will automatically enter in Round 3.

Yesterday's event largely turned out to be kind for some traditional powerhouses, with four-time FIFA World Cup qualifiers Saudi Arabia drawn to meet Hong Kong. Fellow east Asian giants Iran cross paths with Maldives, a side against whom they netted 22 unanswered goals against over two legs in qualifying for France 1998. Team Melli legend Karim Bagheri scoring a then FIFA World Cup record seven goals in Tehran.

China PR, the fifth highest Asian team in the current FIFA/Coca Cola World Ranking, are pitted against the winners of Cambodia and Laos. While a comfortable aggregate victory should be within their grasp, head coach Gao Hongbo refused to take their prospective opponents lightly. "We have paid the price for our slip-ups on too many occasions in past World Cup bids, so the lessons we must learn is that we can't underestimate any opponent," said Gao. "We should focus our attention on preparation and do our best regardless of the rivals."

Read more at FIFA

Azkals to face Sri Lanka in first step for qualifying to 2014 World Cup

For the Philippines, the long climb to football heaven—the 2014 World Cup in Brazil—begins with a duel against Sri Lanka.

Bidding to crash football’s showpiece for the first time, the Azkals were pitted against a tough Sri Lankan team in the first round of the qualifiers that will be played in a home-and-away series starting June 28.

Sri Lanka will host the first leg on June 28 with the return leg set in the Philippines five days later.

Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta is eyeing the Rizal Memorial Stadium as a possible site for the home match.

Middle East powerhouse Kuwait awaits the survivor of the Philippines-Sri Lanka duel in the second round.

Philippine team officials, led by manager Dan Palami and German coach Michael Weiss, welcomed the pairing with Sri Lanka, which is ranked 22 places lower than the Azkals at 173 in the latest Fifa rankings.

But Palami, who was at the opening of the Suzuki Cup Under-23 Championship in Los Baños, Laguna, when the draw was conducted at the Asian Football Confederation office in Sri Lanka Wednesday, warned his side not to be complacent, saying that the Sri Lankans could not be taken for granted.

Read more at Philippine Daily Inquirer

Rizal Memorial, Panaad eyed for Azkals' home game

he Philippine Football Federation (PFF) is now considering 2 possible sites where the country can hold its home game against Sri Lanka.

According to ABS-CBN sports correspondent Dyan Castillejo, the PFF will be choosing between Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila and Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.

“As per PFF President Nonong Araneta and [Azkals team] Manager Dan Palami, our home game will be either at Rizal Memorial or Panaad Bacolod stadium,” said Castillejo through her Twitter account.

The Philippine Azkals will face Sri Lanka in a home-and-away qualifying series for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 29 and July 3.

The home game, scheduled on July 3, could take place at the 30,000-seater Rizal Memorial Stadium, site of some of the biggest sporting events in Southeast Asia (SEA), including the 1991 and 2005 SEA Games.

It could also be staged at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City, where the home game of the Philippine Azkals against Mongolia for the 2012 Challenge Cup was held.

Read more at ABS-CBN News

Brave Reds are next for Azkals

The Philippines’ ambitious bid of advancing to the prestigious 2014 World Cup got a massive boost Wednesday when the Philippine Azkals were drawn against a lower-ranked Sri Lankan side in the first round of the qualifying tournament that starts this June.

Philippine Football Federation chief Mariano “Nonong” Araneta said the result of the draw which took place in Kuala Lumpur was “a favourable one for the Azkals” if the standings in the FIFA world rankings of both teams will be the basis.

Nicknamed the Brave Reds, the Sri Lankan squad is ranked 173rd while the Philippines, 151st. The format for the Round 1 qualifier will be a home and away series with Sri Lanka hosting the first leg on June 29 and Philippines on July 3.

If the Azkals manage to ease past the Brave Reds, they will have a tougher time in Round 2 as they will face Kuwait, which is ranked 101st.

The Azkals, who recently secured a place in the main draw of the 2012 Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup, have never player the Brave Reds before, but Araneta remains optimistic of the team’s chances.

Read more at Manila Bulletin

Philippine Azkals to face Sri Lanka in World Cup qualifiers

The Philippine Azkals will play against Sri Lanka in the first round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

This was announced in a draw held at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Wednesday.

The home-and-away qualifying series will take place on June 29 in Sri Lanka and July 3 in the Philippines.

The Philippine Azkals team is currently ranked No. 151 in the FIFA world standings.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, is ranked No. 173.

The Azkals’ qualifying match against Sri Lanka is the first of 4 qualifying rounds the Philippines will have to go through before landing a spot in the prestigious World Cup.

If the Azkals successfully hurdle the Sri Lankan team, they will next face Kuwait, which is ranked 103rd.

The reigning World Cup champion is Spain.

Read more at ABS-CBN News

Azkals to know World Cup qualifiers opponents Wednesday

The Philippine Azkals will know on Wednesday their opponents in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will hold the draw in the afternoon in its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Azkals will have to beat their yet to be named rivals in a home-and-away tie to boost their chances in entering the World Cup.

They will play on June 29 and July 3 this year.

The Philippine team, which recently advanced to the AFC Challenge Cup quarterfinals, currently stands 15th in the 16 lowest-ranked teams in the FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers.

The country had failed to join the last 2 World Cup qualifiers.

Azkals vs Afghanistan or Cambodia?

Striker Phil Younghusband expects the Azkals to face either Afghanistan or Cambodia in the FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers.

In 2010, Afghanistan, through its Olympic football team, secured a spot in the 2010 South Asian Games finals.

In their way to the playoffs, the Afghan players won all of theur matches in the group stage against India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and its semi-final match against the Maldives.

Cambodia, on the other hand, failed to attempt to qualify in the 2006 World Cup.

The country's best remembered performance, however, was in the 1972 Asian Cup when it landed in 4th place.

Read more at ABS-CBN News

Phil, Angel went to church together?

The ball seems to be rolling smoothly for Phil Younghusband as he is consistently seen dating his showbiz crush, actress Angel Locsin.

On Sunday, Younghusband was spotted in a restaurant in Serendra having dinner with Locsin.

They are also reported to have attended a church service together.

In an interview during the Volunteering Expo event in Quezon City, Younghusband admitted that they indeed had dinner but he was cautious not to reveal in detail what happened.

He neither confirmed nor denied if they attended a church service together.

With football becoming more popular and the public giving more attention to the Azkals, Younghusband acknowledged the fact that the public’s eyes are also focused on their personal lives.

Read more at ABS-CBN News

Phl football rises with Azkals on the loose

Thanks to the Azkals, Philippine football is on the rise.

From where it stood in 2009, at No. 167 in the FIFA world rankings, the Philippines is now at No. 151 among 203 member countries.

It has moved ahead of countries like Cambodia, Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Maldives, Lebanon, Laos, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mongolia and Afghanistan.

In the coming World Cup qualifiers in June and July, the Philippines may end up facing Cambodia, ranked 154th, and Afghanistan, way behind at 194th.

The Philippines, according to Azkals team manager Dan Palami, should be favored to advance at the expense of these two teams.

The Philippines lags behind its neighbors like Chinese Taipei (147), Singapore (139), Malaysia (138), Vietnam (134), Indonesia (129) and Thailand (118).

But what’s important is that the Philippines is on the rise.

Read more at The Philippine Star

Azkals eye medal finish in SEAG

The Philippines has never won a medal of any color in the men’s football event of the Southeast Asian Games since its debut in the biennial meet in 1977.

Seeking to end the drought, Azkals team manager Dan Palami has vowed to form the strongest football squad ever.

“I think we can safely say we will be forming the strongest team for the Southeast Asian Games,” said Palami, who will also stand as team manager of the national team to the SEA Games set in Indonesia this November.

He said chances are strong to contend for a medal considering that six players from the Philippine Azkals are eligible to play in the under-23 tournament.

The six players are goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, 21, reliever Christopher Camcam, 16, defender David Basa, 21, striker Yannick Tuason, 21, who are both members of the University of Santo Tomas football team, and Fil-German Patrick Hinrichsen, 20, and Fil-Dutch Jason de Jong, 21.

“They don’t need to try out for the team. I think with their level of play, they should be automatically included in the team,” Palami said.

Read more at Manila Bulletin

Studio 23, Balls TV to air Azkals' group stage matches

ABS-CBN Sports announced the airing schedule of the Philippine Azkals' last two matches in their successful Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup group stage campaign.

The Philippines-Palestine match will be aired on Studio 23 on Tuesday at 10:30 p.m.

The match will also be shown on cable channel Balls TV this Wednesday (March 30) at 4:30 p.m.

The Philippines-Bangladesh match, meanwhile, will be aired on Studio 23 on Thursday (March 31) at 1 p.m. and on Friday (April 1) at 1:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

It will also be shown on Balls TV this Thursday (March 31) at 6:30 p.m., and this Sunday (April 3) at 6 p.m.

Read more at ABS-CBN

Azkals member turns a deaf ear to call of showbiz

Azkals goalkeeper Neil Etheridge is saying no to show business—for now at least.

According to the rising Filipino-British football star, he would rather play international football first before joining local Tinseltown. "I have a very successful and a bright future playing football in England and I want to experience that before I really enter showbiz,” says he in an interview with abscbnews.com.

Etheridge says he knows opportunity usually knocks only once but “if my time is up before I can enter showbiz in the Philippines, that's just life. For me football is my main priority.”

His stance differs widely from that of Azkals team mate Phil Younghusband, who was only seemingly too eager to appear in the independent film “Happyland” last year.

Read more at Manila Bulletin

Forging ahead

Philippine football is forging ahead. This, as the Filipino booters, popularly known as the Azkals, continue to make waves in the international scene to highlight the country’s standing as an emerging power in this side of the world on the pitch.

The latest feather in the Philippine national team’s cap is making the tournament proper of the 2012 Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup. Following the Azkals’ 3-0 win over Bangladesh last Friday in the group qualifying stage, the Philippines is making its first trip to the main draw of the weighty regional tournament.

The feat is a follow-up to the Azkals’ strong semifinal finish in last year’s ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup, which all but revived the country’s interest in the sport.

But apart from the history making that the Filipino booters have been doing in the last six months, this latest accomplishment of theirs is further proof that all the support in various forms that the team has been getting is going somewhere. The entire squad is showing firm commitment to winning and seeing what it has set out to do -- giving local football a boost in stature -- gets completed.

And last week in Myanmar for the Group A qualifying action, all and sundry once again got the chance to see what the Azkals are all about. Struggled in the first two games against the host country and Palestine that saw them settle for draws -- 1-1 versus Myanmar and 0-0 against Palestine -- the Azkals delivered when it needed the most, displaying much character and "mojo" in their game.

Needing to win their last game against Bangladesh to cop one spot of two in the main tournament of the Challenge Cup next year, the Pinoys buck the pressure and "manned up" to barge their way out of their group triumphant.

Read more at BusinessWorld

Azkals not stealing attention from other sports: Aly

Azkals team captain Alexander “Aly" Borromeo does not agree with the comments of television host and radio DJ Mo Twister that the Philippine football team is getting too much attention.

During the ABS-CBN Sports victory party for team Azkals on  Monday, the Fil-Am striker denied that the team is getting too much publicity to the detriment of other sports such as dragon boat racing and basketball.

“No, [we are] definitely not [stealing the public’s attention] .I mean, we did not bring football here. It's a big sport. It's the sport of the world. Football unites all of the people not only in the Philippines but all up there,” he told abs-cbnNEWS.com.

“Lovers of the sport put us here. And [finally] football has touched the hearts of many.”

Read more at ABS-CBN News

Azkals to scout for US recruits

Philippine football team captain Aly Borromeo and defender Anton del Rosario will conduct tryouts to reinforce the Azkals pool of players at the Gellert Park in Daly City, near San Francisco, on April 9-10 with an eye to recruit talents in the 15-24 age bracket.

So far, about 25 players have expressed interest to join the tryouts that Borromeo and Del Rosario will supervise with US college football coaches. A plan to hold tryouts in Los Angeles and New York City was scuttled to concentrate on the main camp.

“The players are coming from all over,” said Del Rosario. “There were at least eight from the East Coast looking forward to the tryouts in New York City but we’ve asked them to fly to San Francisco instead so we can assemble the players all together. It’s more practical to hold the tryouts in the US than ask the players to fly all the way to Manila. We’ve got players coming in from Canada, too.”

Borromeo said a camp in Europe is also being planned but nothing is finalized.

Read more at The Philippine Star

Espinosa out to prove he can hack it

DISAPPOINTED by his lackluster showing in the recent Asian Challenge Cup group matches in Myanmar, striker William Espinosa intends to show he has what it takes when he suits up for Global Smartmatic, the team of Philippine team manager Dan Palami, next weekend in the United Football League.

"I was not happy with my form in Myanmar. That was not the real me," Espinosa, 29, said during a welcome dinner for the Azkals hosted by businessman Jack Rodriguez at the California Pizza Kitchen restaurant at the Glorietta 4 in Makati City Monday night.

Espinosa, who was adopted by a German family after his Laguna-born parents migrated to Germany, was used sparingly by coach Hans Michael Weiss in Myanmar, mostly as a reliever in the waning minutes to mainstays Chieffy Caligdong and Ian Araneta.

Read more at Malaya

Azkals aiming higher, dreaming bigger

They came, they saw, they conquered. But as the Philippine Azkals prepare to conquer more matches, Coach Hans Michael Weiss said it would definitely take more than just tough training.


"To go the next level... requires more efforts, more passion in the work ethic, like it has been so far," Weiss said in a luncheon held for the Azkals Monday at the ELJ Communications Center at the ABS-CBN Compound in Quezon City.


Fresh from their victory in the AFC Challenge Cup group stage, the Azkals will now advance to the tournament which will take place on March 2012.


The team will also be playing in a qualifiers home-and-away match in their World Cup 2014 campaign, with their qualifying matches to be held this June.


For their future stints, Weiss said it would be best for the team to modify their game play.


"We have to make adjustments, we have to train more, train harder, train more intensively," he said.


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