Azkals face Indians in friendly tiff today

Boosted by the return of two key players, the Philippines tangles with India today in a friendly in Chennai which forms part of its buildup for the AFC Challenge Cup.

The Azkals will be strengthened by midfielder Stephan Schrock and goalkeeper Roland Muller, who is playing his first international since the 2-0 win over Turkmenistan in the AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers last March.

Azkals coach Michael Weiss is hoping for improvement from his side after its heavy 0-4 loss to Asian powerhouse United Arab Emirates last Saturday.

Against a team ranked 71st in the world, the Azkals struggled to get their attack going and lacked creativity on their final third. Defensively, they found it hard to cope with the Arabs’ fluid attacking game.

Compared to UAE, India is seen as a weaker assignment for the Azkals, although team manager Dan Palami stressed that improving cohesion and team chemistry remain the priority.

In Schrock, the Azkals have a strong attacking threat who has combined well with Phil Young-husband and Patrick Reichelt in past matches.

Schrock dazzled in the Philippine Peace Cup in Bacolod last month, leading the Azkals to their second straight crown.

With Neil Etheridge unavailable, Muller is expected to start ahead of Eduard Sacapano, who tended the Azkals goal against UAE.