Patiño, Sato reinforce Azkals in PSS friendly

Azkals’ victory lap at Philippine Sports Stadium in Bocaue, Bulacan. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

FOREIGN-BASED players Javier Patiño and Daisuke Sato join Ceres-La Salle standouts, including Stephan Schrock, as they return to the Philippine side that faces Turkmenistan on Sept. 2 at Philippine Sports Stadium in Bocaue, Bulacan.

The Philippine Football Federation yesterday released the 22-man squad for the friendly match, which will be followed by a trip to Bishkek for a clash against Central Asian side Kyrgyzstan on Sept. 6.

The Azkals are using the matches as part of their preparation for the AFF Suzuki Cup which the country is hosting for the first time from Nov. 19 to 25.

The lineup selected by coach Thomas Dooley also features a newcomer in Kaya defender Junior Muñoz, who scored against Global FC in their United Football League match last Saturday.

Brothers Phil and James Younghusband and Neil Etheridge, who are the only remaining players from the 2010 PH side that reached the semifinals of the Suzuki Cup for the first time, will lead the squad.

Also returning are Ceres players Manny Ott, Kevin Ingreso, Patrick Reichelt, Martin Steuble and Roland Muller. Completing the side are Global’s Amani Aguinaldo, Misagh Bahadoran, Dennis Villanueva and Patrick Deyto, Stallion’s Simone Rota and Kaya players Miguel Tanton and Kenshiro Daniels.