U-23 Azkals, S’pore Lions in same bind on SEAG trip

MANILA, Philippines - Just like the Philippines’ under-23 football team which is fighting for a spot in the country’s Southeast Asian Games delegation, the U-23 side of neighboring Singapore is also trying to convince its National Olympic Committee to allow them to compete in the Myanmar meet.

The U-23 Azkals, owing to their finish outside the medal podium in the previous SEAG, are seeking to make the Phl contingent to Myanmar in the light of the inclination of Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission to send only those who are “potential gold winners” or gold medalists in the last tourney.

Philippine Football Federation officials have been appealing for the inclusion of the U-23 Azkals, whom they feel are a much-stronger team than the one that bombed in 2011, as well as the women’s team Malditas and the futsal teams.

It seems the Pinoy U-23 booters are not alone in this predicament.

According the Straits Times, Singapore’s U-23 Young Lions team is still not guaranteed a spot in the city-state’s SEAG contingent. This in spite of the recent success of the core of Singapore U-23 in the LionsXII club that won the Malaysian Super League title recently.

“For the past decade, the SNOC’s (Singapore National OIympic Council) selection criteria for local athletes or teams has been based on whether they can equal – or better – the bronze-medal results of the previous SEA Games edition,” the Straits Times wrote.

“So for it to send a team to the U-23 football tournament in December’s Games, the squad must show that they can beat at least the third-placed team from the previous Games.” 

Singapore, like the Philippines, didn’t get past the group stages of the 2011 SEA Games. That tourney was won by Malaysia, which defeated host Indonesia in the finals. Myanmar took the bronze over Vietnam.

In the buildup for the 2013 SEAG, the Pinoy U-23 and Singaporean U-23 booters played a friendly last month in Singapore with the home side winning, 1-0. This result wasn’t enough to convince the SNOC, Straits Times reported.

Singapore U-23, the paper added, must defeat Indonesia U-23 in their coming friendly on July 15 to make a strong case for their SEAG entry. The two nations previously met in a friendly, which resulted in a 1-1 draw.