Peace Cup: Azkals face Pakistan, Taiwan XIs

THE PHILIPPINE Azkals will defend the Philippine Peace Cup title against a familiar foe in Chinese-Taipei and a tough Pakistan squad in the tournament slated Oct. 11 to 15 at Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.

With African sides Rwanda and Uganda begging off due to various reasons, the Philippine Football Federation was left with no choice but to reduce the field to just three from a planned four-team event that will serve as one of the highlights of the city’s Masskara Festival celebration.

The Azkals bested the Taiwanese side for the title last year, while some of the members of the national side saw action for Global FC in the AFC President’s Cup, where they faced a KRL squad powered by Pakistani national team players.

With the matches coinciding with Fifa international friendly dates, Azkals manager Dan Palami plans to call up some of the Europe-based players for the tournament, including Stephan Schrock, who started the season brightly with his new club Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Bundesliga.

Veteran defender Rob Gier, goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, Denmark-based Dennis Cagara and Jerry Lucena as well as Demitrius Omphroy and Patrick Reichelt have also been recalled to the national side for the tournament.

The Peace Cup is part of the Azkals’ buildup for the AFC Challenge Cup in May next year in the Maldives where they will be gunning for the one spot to the AFC Asian Cup that will be dangled in the tournament.

“We see this as a chance for the team to be together again,” said Palami, speaking from Singapore, where his club, Global FC, is currently competing in the Singapore Cup semifinals.

“And anything that allows us to be together as a team will always be a plus in our preparations. I look at this as an opportunity for the team to hone its cohesion for the Challenge Cup.”

Expectations will be high on the Azkals who will be facing two lower-ranked foes in the tournament.

“These are two strong teams but where we are right now is a level above them,” the Azkals boss said. “Pakistan is a much stronger team as we’ve seen in the President’s Cup. They play together as a club and it will be a good match for us.”

The tentative schedule pits Philippines and Chinese-Taipei on Oct. 11, Pakistan versus Chinese-Taipei two days later, before the tournament winds up with the Azkals-Pakistan match on Oct. 15.

As one of the key men in spurring the renaissance of football in the country, Palami has also hit out at the Philippine Olympic Committee for preventing the Azkals Under-23 side from competing in the Southeast Asian Games.

One of the chief backers of the squad, Palami said that while he may have saved on costs for not sending a team, the missed opportunity is something that cannot be replaced.

“The team only wanted to compete and represent the country,” Palami said, noting that the side is a developmental pool for the next generation of Azkals.

“It is unfortunate that those who did not do much for the sport are the ones who are blocking the inclusion and to think that they are supposed to be our leaders,” said Palami.