Azkals confront Uzbeks, Aussies in AFC tuneup

By Olmin Leyba

The Philippine Azkals look to hone their skills against two Olympics-aspiring sides � Uzbekistan and Australia � in their Middle East training camp from Feb.7-17 in preparation for their AFC Challenge Cup campaign in March in Nepal.

Organizers of the Azkals� Tour yesterday announced that Phl XI will kick off their three-game slate against Uzbekistan on Feb. 11 in Dubai, then battle Qatari club Al Ahli SC two days later in Doha, and wrap up with a game against Qantas Australian U-23 on Feb. 16 in Dubai.

It was not immediately clear whether it will be the U-23 team or the national team from Uzbekistan that will engage the Azkals in a friendly. In their Facebook page, organizers said it will be the national team (senior) but according to Azkals team coordinator Ace Bright, they will play the U-23 crew.

�Uzkebistan is a very strong football team, whether it�s the U-23 or the senior team. They are in the top four in Asia and their U-23 is in the eliminations for the Olympics,� Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Nonong Araneta said.

The Uzbekistan White Wolves� senior team was a semifinalist in the last AFC Asian Cup while their U-23 squad currently holds the Group B lead in the preliminary round 3 of the AFC Asian qualifiers for the London Olympics with five points (1-2-0).

The Olyroos of Australia are in the same group as Uzbeks U-23, occupying third with three points (0-3-0). The two battled to a scoreless draw last November and will meet again on Feb. 5 at the resumption of continental qualifiers for London.

The only local club in the Azkals� itinerary, Al Ahli SC, competes in the Qatar Stars League, the highest professional league in Qatari football.

�Our main objective in this camp is to put the players together for practices and practice matches. It�s very important that we give them the chance to play as a team against good teams in preparation for the Challenge Cup,� said Araneta.



The Azkals were supposed to take on Serbian powerhouse Partizan Belgrade in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 6 to start their camp. But visa problems forced the Avram Grant-coached Black and Whites to call off their UAE trip and the Azkals couldn�t get a new opponent for that date on short notice.

philstar