Azkals battle Yemen to scoreless draw in AFC Asian Cup qualifier

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Azkals shared a point with Yemen after playing to a goalless draw in their Group B matchup in the third round of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on Wednesday.

Despite a more aggressive Azkals side that had control of possession for most of the 90-minute contest, neither team found the back of the net before the final whistle.

In the second half, the Filipino booters had multiple chances, including a perfectly placed header by Kenshiro Daniels only to land safely in the hands of Yemen goalkeeper Salem Gamal Al-Harsh.

After being subbed in the latter part of the second half, naturalized player Bienvenido Maranon also had a running shot on goal but couldn't get enough power behind it and was intercepted anew by Al-Harsh.

Skipper Neil Etheridge also got busy for the Azkals to deny Yemen the breakthrough goal.

Still, the Azkals picked up some positives from the game, including their tremendous passing that had them complete some 80% of their passes in the fixture.

The Philippines hope to get all three points when they face hosts Mongolia on Saturday, June 11.

The Azkals need to win Group B, or be among the five best second-place finishers across the groups, to qualify for the Asian Cup set in China next year.