Phl Azkals to battle Tigers of Malaysia

CEBU, Philippines -  Cebuano fans get another taste of world-class football action as the Philippine Azkals is set to return to Cebu for an international friendly match against the Malaysia Tigers on April 27 at the Cebu City Sports Center.

Tickets for the said event, however, is expected to be available most likely on Monday yet at SM's ticket outlets.

Glenn Quisido, Cebu Football Association  tournament committee chairman, said they received a letter from the Asian Football Confederation  giving the friendly a go signal only last Wednesday.

"Ricky (Dakay, the CFA president) didn't want us to make announcements before we get the letter and even work on the other details on it kay basin di madayon or unsa ba," said Quisido.

The CFA officials then held an emergency meeting before giving initial announcement about the Azkals-Tiger match.

The CCSC centerfield is not well-manicured just like during their first friendly here versus the Singapore Lions in 2012, but the field will be made playable during the event.

The pressure right now is more on the lighting of the CCSC since the ones being used in previous events are only borrowed.

The CFA is hopeful though that everything will be addressed right away.

This marks for the first time that the Azkals will be playing here in Cebu under newly-hired coach Thomas Dooley, a former US team captain and FIFA World Cup veteran. He took over the reins from Michael Weiss only last February and seemed to have won over the members of the pool he has assembled.

The upcoming action may just be a friendly, but a rugged match is expected more so that the Azkals and the Tigers figured in a scoreless draw during their previous encounter last March 1 at the Selayang Municipal Council Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

It was their third head-on collision in the last three years, the first of which was won by the Azkals, 1-0, two years ago at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila. Their second meeting ended up in a scoreless draw in Malaysian homecourt also in 2012. (FREEMAN)