THE Philippine Azkals, fresh from a historic third-place finish in the recent Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup in Kathmandu, Nepal, will play China in a football extravaganza to mark Philippine Independence Day on June 12 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
Philippine Football Federation president Mariano �Nonong� Araneta told the Manila Standard that he is discussing plans for a feast of football during FIFA match dates on June 2, 5, 8 and 12.
Araneta said he plans to invite China for a game against the Azkals on June 12, with a possible game against Indonesia on June 5 also in Manila, and against Thailand or Vietnam on June 8, probably in Bacolod City.
�We want to bring back the Chinese crowd,� said the PFF president, referring to the major supporters of football in the 1960s and 1970s and had several club teams.
Araneta said that China failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and he was confident that with outstanding players such as Stephan Schrock, Dennis Cagara and Jerry Lucena available to reinforce the Challenge Cup squad, he is looking forward to a great game befitting the celebration of Philippine Independence Day.
Although China finished third behind Iraq and Jordan in the qualifiers and failed to secure a World Cup berth, the team salvaged some measure of pride with a 3-1 victory over Jordan, which had already qualified for the next round of competition.
Three losses and two wins left China in third place, with no chance of making it to Brazil.
Araneta also expressed his happiness over the Azkals� third-place finish in Nepal.
�We were unlucky that in the semifinals, we didn�t have the services of James Younghusband and Angel Guirado because of two accumulated yellow cards and Jason Sabio, who was out with an injury,� said the PFF president. �Sabio is our best defender. We were really handicapped against Turkmenistan.�
Turkmenistan eventually lost, 1-2, to North Korea in the finals.
�It showed them that we can play but of course we have to pursue our development program around the country,� said Araneta.
(Published in the Manila Standard Today newspaper on /2012/March/22)
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