Stadium preps for Azkals game hit snag

MANILA, Philippines � With barely 2 weeks left before the much awaited game between the Philippine Azkals and Mongolia, organizers have yet to finish preparing the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City which will host the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup qualifier.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) chairman Monico Puentevella said they have yet to complete the installation of additional lights in Panaad as requested by the AFC for live television coverage of the night games.

The additional lighting will come from the nearby Paglaum Sports Complex, which is also located in Bacolod City.

He, however, said that organizers were being given a hard time in transferring the lights.

�Sa approval ng pag-gamit ng lights, sana huwag na kaming pahirapan,� said an irritated Puentevella.

He said they were already granted permission by the Department of Education (DepEd), which manages the Paglaum Sports complex.

Philippine Azkals team manager Dan Palami hopes the problem will be solved soon.

�It�s sad for the team, you know, these things like lights and preparation of the pitch will not be ready come game time because at the end of the day it will be Bacolod who will be affected, I think,� he said.

The Azkals will face a younger Mongolia squad on February 9 for a home-and-away qualifying series for the AFC Challenge Cup.

Azkals continue training

The Azkals, meanwhile, continue their training in secret venues to keep away from the fans.

Palami said that their preparations are sometimes hampered by die-hard Azkals fans.

�As long as they maintain the distance from the players, where it becomes obtrusive, then we will have no problem with that because some fans will go to the pitch,� he said.

Local players also had to adjust with their new teammates, mostly Filipino-Europeans, because of their thick English accents.

Ilonggo booter Reymak Palmes said that sometimes, they resort to sign language.

�Dinadala na lang namin sa sign language kung minsan. Ang mas importante, mabuild up ang team at mapabuti pa ang komunikasyon sa isa't isa,� he said. -- With a report from Ragie Arellano, ABS-CBN News Iloilo


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