Azkals face Laotians in Suzuki Cup

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines will have Laos for its opening-day opponent in the next month’s Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup in Hanoi after the Laotians completed the cast with a runner-up finish in the tournament’s qualifying round Monday night.

Laos assembled a second-best nine points behind winner Myanmar’s 10 in the just-concluded qualifiers that it hosted en route to booking a berth in Group A where the Azkals, Indonesia and host Vietnam have been seeded.

The Azkals and the Laotians will kick off hostilities in the group on Nov. 22 at My Dinh Stadium.

This will be the two nations’ second duel this year after facing off in the group stages of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup last May in Maldives, where the Azkals prevailed, 2-0. Incidentally, that was the first time Phl pulled off a victory against Laos after six losses and two draws.

After Laos, the Pinoy booters will tackle Indonesia on Nov. 25 then they will face off with former champion Vietnam on Nov. 28, hoping to repeat the performances that led to semifinal stints in the last two editions of the biennial meet.

Myanmar, which defeated Laos, 2-0, to top the qualifiers, netted a spot in Group B over in Singapore in the company of the defending titlist Singaporeans, Thailand and Malaysia.

According to Philippine Football Federation general-secretary Edwin Gastanes, the Azkals will hold mini camps in Doha, Qatar and in Manila in the next four weeks before competing in Hanoi.

“The national team Azkals will have a match in Doha on Oct. 31 against Nepal and will also have another match with a Qatari club on Nov. 2,” he said.

He added that arrangements are being made to set two more international friendlies inside the next Fifa international window (Nov. 10-18).