AZKALS-LIONS ‘FACE OFF’ PFF, CFA seal the deal

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu's hosting of the 'Face Off', the first ever international friendly football match in the Queen City of the South featuring the Azkals and the Singapore Lions on November 15 at the Cebu City Sports Center, has been formalized through the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) and the organizing Cebu Football Association (CFA) yesterday at the Casino Español de Cebu.

On hand to sign the agreement was PFF secretary-general Ed Gastanes and CFA president Ricky Dakay. Also present was Azkals team manager Dan Palami, who looks forward to the ground-breaking event in Cebu sports full of zest and enthusiasm.

Although there's still a lot of work to be done Palami expressed confidence that the event will go on smoothly and end up successfully.

"I have faith in the CFA and what they have done so far," Palami said.

Their match against the Lions serves as the Azkals' final tuneup before they head to a tougher battle in the prestigious Suzuki Cup on November 24 in Thailand.

“We hope that we will also win again against Singapore, the three-time AFF Suzuki Cup champion," Palami said.

As for the Face-Off, Palami said they will be fielding in the same lineup they had in last Peace Cup in Manila plus the Younghusband brothers James and Phil along with Rob Gier and half-Cebuano Ray Jonsson.

The other Azkals expected to see action here are goalkeepers Eduardo Sacapono and Ref Cuaresma, forwards Denis Wolf and Ian Araneta, defenders Roel Gener, David Basa, Matthew Uy, Demitrius Omphroy, Jason Sabio, Carli de Murga, Jeffrey Christians, and midfielders Emelio Caligdong, Nestorio Margarse, Patrick Reichelt, Jason De jong, OJ Porteria, Misagh Bahadoran, Marvin Angeles, Marwin Angeles, Anto Gonzalez.

Fil-Spanish Angel Guirado, Neil Eitheridge and several others will be missing the friendly match but are expected to join the Azkals in the Suzuki Cup.

Out of the 35-member elite squad, only 22 will be brought to the Suzuki Cup.

Prior to the goodwill encounter, CFA gears up for a series of activities, incuding its hosting of the PFF Board of Governors (BOG) meeting on November 13-14 and the PFF National Congress on November 14 at the Waterfront- Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

Azkals to grace opening of Aboitiz Cup

CEBU, Philippines - The celebrated Philippine Azkals are expected to add glitz and glamour to the opening bash of the 15th Aboitiz Cup football tournament on November 11 at the Aboitiz Sports Field in Brgy. Subangdaku, Mandaue City.

This was disclosed by the organizing Cebu Football Association (CFA) led by its president Ricky Dakay during a press  conference yesterday Casino Español de Cebu yesterday.

The national footballers will be in Cebu ahead of time for the highly-anticipated "Face Off" between the Phl Azkals and the Singapore Lions on November 15 at the Cebu City Sports Center.

More to the Azkals’ presence, the event organizers will also be holding a series of parlor games including the juggling conzest, x-mark the spot, longest boot, longest throw, slalom race, longest goal, and head to head.

The winners of this exciting sidelights will get tickets for the Azkals-Lions game and other freebies.

Meanwhile, a total of 130 clubs and schools have registered in this 11-a-side tournament

Sixteen teams have signed up for the men's open, six in the players 6, 27 in the players 8, 17 in the players 10, 16 in the boys 12, 11 in the boys 14, 12 in the boys 17 and five in the boys 23.

In the women's division, four squads have enlisted in the girls 17 and two in the ladies open. The Inter-BPO action has attracted nine teams and four in the 38-above category.

More teams are still expected to join as the deadline for the submission of entries is on November 9 yet. — Caecent No-ot Magsumbol (FREEMAN)