Azkals open year with China ‘friendly’

The Philippine Azkals return to action in March during the year’s first Fifa international window with a showdown with China lined up.

Philippine Football Federation general secretary Ed Gastanes confirmed that China has invited the Azkals for a friendly although the venue has yet to be decided.

Gastanes, who along with PFF president Nonong Araneta attended the Asian Football Confederation Congress in Sydney last week, said the PFF is pushing for a March 25 game with the Chinese.

“It could be in Beijing or Shanghai,” Gastanes said of the match which would mark the first time the two countries will meet in recent years.

The PFF official said they are still hoping to schedule another match for the Azkals after the duel with China, which is currently in action in the AFC Asian Cup in Australia.

The Azkals missed out on the Asian Cup after losing to Palestine in the AFC Challenge Cup finals last year in the Maldives before posting another semifinal finish in the AFF Suzuki Cup in December.

It will be another busy year for the Azkals as they also start their 2018 World Cup Qualifying campaign in June, the same month the Under-23 team participates in the Southeast Asian Games in Singapore.