Azkals face PNG in friendly tonight

Match tonight (Rizal Memorial Stadium)

8 p.m. – Philippines vs Papua New Guinea

MANILA, Philippines -  The Philippine Azkals face off with first-time opponent Papua New Guinea tonight at Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, hoping to make the most of the opportunity to gain further match fitness as they gear up for next month’s AFF Suzuki Cup.

The friendly is set at 8 p.m. with the Azkals seeking to not only give local fans a victory after the heartbreaking loss to Myanmar in the finals of the Philippine Peace Cup but also sustain their progress, especially with the Suzuki Cup just five weeks away.

“It hasn’t been the ideal preparation for us, but we have to make the most out of our time together,” said Phl coach Thomas Dooley. “We need games because training is not enough.”

The Azkals were originally slated to play Malaysia in an away friendly for this Fifa international window but the latter called it off. Good thing, Dooley convinced Papua New Guinea mentor Wynton Rufer, a fellow Bundesliga player during their years, to play the Pinoy booters. The Papuans also saw their previously scheduled friendly with Timor Leste scrapped as well.

The Suzuki Cup blasts off Nov. 22-28 in Hanoi, Vietnam and the Azkals need as many matches as they can set before the big battle.

“It’s an important time for us because we are preparing for the Suzuki Cup and we want to try to progress,” said Azkals captain Rob Gier. “It’s always nice to get to play at home.”

Gier is the only overseas-based player suiting up against the Kapuls, who themselves are in deep preparation for the Pacific Games. Joining him and the holdovers from the Peace Cup crew are comebacking veteran Chieffy Caligdong, Jeffrey Christiaens, Nick O’ Donnel and former UAAP standout Paolo Bugas.

“We have to take this match seriously and must be willing to work hard,” said Dooley.

Papua New Guinea is about 70 places lower in ranking than Phl but the Kapuls dished out a creditable performance last month when they played their first international match in two years, dropping a respectable 1-2 loss to reigning Suzuki Cup titlist Singapore.

“PNG is a fast, technically good and organized team,” said Dooley. “The results this team has had in the last couple of months mean something. We have to be very, very careful. We have to put 100 percent on the field to beat that team.”