Azkals tackle Cambodians in tuneup Friday night

Refreshed by a five-day break, the Philippine Azkals face Cambodia’s national side at 8 tonight at Rizal Memorial Stadium in their final tuneup match before the AFF Suzuki Cup wars in Vietnam.

The Azkals are smarting from a 0-3 loss to Thailand in Nakhon Ratchasima last Sunday with coach Thomas Dooley pointing to fatigue as a key factor in the lethargic performance.

Dooley gave the Azkals a couple of days off, before preparing for the clash with the Cambodians, whom they beat, 8-0, in March last year during the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers.

Cambodia, which failed to qualify for the Suzuki Cup after losing to Laos last month, has brought along a relatively young squad that is expected to be the core of its team to next year’s Southeast Asian Games in Singapore.

“The players needed some rest, but I think they will be ready to put in a performance against Cambodia,” said Dooley.

Striker Phil Younghusband hopes Dooley will field the starting crew that will also most likely start for the Azkals’ first group game in the Suzuki Cup against Laos on Nov. 22 at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi.

“We just hope to play better together and it will be good for us to have that starting eleven for Laos to play against Cambodia,” said Younghusband, who leads the country with 39 international goals.

Expected to miss the game is leftback Jeffrey Christiaens who is nursing a groin injury.

Dooley said former Azkals skipper Chieffy Caligdong, who announced his retirement from international football Wednesday night, will be feted at halftime.