Phil Younghusband ‘67

Replay of AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers: Philippines vs. Cambodia will air today at 4:30 p.m. on BALLS SkyCable ch 34/ Destiny Cable ch 36

(P. Younghusband 25’ 30’ 34’ 85’, Patiño 45’ 57’, Schrock 47’, De Murga 88’)

Ahead of the Challenge Cup Qualifiers against Brunei, Cambodia, and Turkmenistan starting in under a week’s time, the Philippine National Football Team has released their 23-man line-up for the three games.

Via the official Azkals website, the list sees few surprises as ten Pinoys playing in Europe come in to swell the ranks of the UFL-based players.

Ian Araneta has been dropped in place of 17-year-old OJ Porteria, after his dazzling displays for Kaya, while Coach Weiss will have the headache of selecting between Roland Muller and Neil Etheridge in goal, with Etheridge banned for the first game for shouting profanities, while on the bench during the 4-3 victory over Palestine, in the battle for third place last year, but he will be available for the other two matches.
 
Here’s the 23-man line-up for the qualifiers:

Goalkeepers
Neil Etheridge
Roland Muller
Ed Sacapano

Defenders
Dennis Cagara
Rob Gier
Juan Luis Guirado
Carli De Murga
Jerry Lucena

Midfielders
Marwin Angeles
Misagh Bahadoran
Chieffy Caligdong
Jeffrey Christiaens
Jason De Jong
Chris Greatwich
Angel Guirado
Paul Mulders
Patrick Reichelt
Stephan Schrock
Matthew Uy
James Younghusband

Forwards
Javier Patino
OJ Porteria
Phil Younghusband


The Azkals’ pattern

There is also the question of what formation the team will employ, whether the 4-5-1 formation that Weiss has used in the Suzuki Cup will be retained, if he’ll opt for a more offensive formation, partnering Phil Younghusband and Javier Patino together, or even pushing the wingers higher up the pitch in a 4-2-3-1.
 
Weiss has talked of being more offensive in these games, as the Azkals have built up a defensive pattern of late. Playing well defensively, the Philippines has kept five clean sheets in their last seven games, but this has also come at the cost of goals as they have scored just six in those seven.

For the last nine games also, the Philippines has never even scored in the opening 45-minutes, and so have never won a first half. After the break however, the Azkals are unbeaten in that second 45-minute period, even against Thailand, when they were 2-0 down at halftime, with a Paul Mulders’ goal as consolation in a 2-1 loss in the group stage of the Suzuki Cup.

Against weaker opposition in Cambodia and Brunei however, that pattern will have to change as the Philippines looks to win big against South East Asian opposition to rack up the all-important goal difference. Scoring in the first half will be crucial to that confidence and building a good goal difference ahead of that final grudge match with Turkmenistan, the side which knocked them out of the 2012 Challenge Cup semifinals, with two late goals reversing a Phil Younghusband opener.  


Starting line-up

With most positions nailed down, according to Mike Limpag, who spoke to manager Dan Palami, the last remaining piece of the puzzle is at left midfield, a position Chieffy Caligdong held until recent performances from the bench.

Angel Guirado looks the frontrunner at left wing and will probably start, despite not playing competitive football since his contract with Indian side Salgaoar SC was terminated. However Jeffrey Christiaens has been lighting up the UFL from the left, contributing to Global’s winning start with four goals and many assists in six games, in performances which deserve an opportunity, especially against Brunei or Cambodia.

So Angel Guirado may be the favorite to start at left wing, and Phil Younghusband will likely be partnered with Javier Patino in a 4-4-2 formation with Jerry Lucena falling back to central defense in place of Juani Guriado.

However, here is the line-up and formation this writer would like to see against Brunei:

By JONAS TERRADO

(Source: http://www.tempo.com.ph/2013/03/loaded-azkals-for-challenge-cup/#.UUhzkspknCk)

Manila, Philippines – The Philippine Azkals will parade a loaded lineup when they begin their quest to qualify for the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup on Friday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Phil Younghusband and Chieffy Caligdong were expectedly included in the 23-man roster released yesterday by the Philippine Football Federation with some of the foreign-based players who have been absent in previous tournaments also taking part.

Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, who barely missed the Azkals lineup during the AFF Suzuki Cup because of duties with Fulham, is set to make his return to the national booters along with Hoffenheim’s Stephan Schrock and Fil-German goalie Roland Muller.

Suzuki Cup veterans Rob Gier, Dennis Cagara, Jerry Lucena and Paul Mulders are also going to suit up in the Azkals’ campaign for the Group E qualifiers against Brunei, Cambodia and Turkmenistan.

Fil-Spanish Javier Patino, who recently joined Thai side Buriram United, is making his Azkals debut in the qualifiers. However, coach Michael Weiss is concerned that the lack of preparation may affect the Azkals’ play in the qualifiers.

The Azkals failed to get another international friendly match after February’s 1-0 victory over Myanmar. There were plans to stage another friendly in Hong Kong.

Instead, they settled for a tuneup affair with United Football League side Pachanga Diliman on Sunday which they won, 2-1, at Emperador Stadium in McKinley Hill.

Other names in the Azkals roster are third-string goalkeeper Ed Sacapano, Patrick Reichelt, James Younghusband, Carli de Murga, Jason de Jong, Marwin Angeles, Misagh Bahadoran, Jeff Christiaens, Chris Greatwich, Angel and Juani Guirado, OJ Porteria and Matthew Uy.

Meanwhile, the PFF Suzuki Cup U-23 tournament will open next month with the Luzon qualifiers in Los Baños, Laguna.

Participating in the tourney are defending champion Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Cebu, Laguna, Masbate, Baguio, Davao, Iligan, Zamboanga and North Cotabato.

tavernofrecklessness:

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http://asap.abs-cbn.com/photos/2014_AFC_CHALLENGE_CUP_QUALIFIERS

Sunday, 27 January 2013 23:00 Written by BONG PEDRALVEZ

WITH Michael Weiss’ contract more or less settled, siblings James and Phil Younghusband are looking forward to working with the German coach anew as the Philippine Azkals prepare for the AFC Challenge Cup Group E qualifying tournament at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in late March.

“It’s good we have a coach for the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers. I believe this (new contract) will make coach Michael hungrier and more motivated in our build-up,” James said on the side during the recent inauguration of the newly-renovated track oval of De La Salle University-Dasmarinas.

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