Philippine Azkals will have to play smart football as they are to face the team from Kuwait (Al-Azraq Squad) this coming July 23 and 28.
There were various ways and strategies that Azkals were eyeing to use in order to the ride with the possible game style of the Al-Azraq Squad.
Azkals coach Hans Michael Weiss admitted that Kuwait is indeed a strong football team in Asia who was able to make it to the 1982 World Cup. With their FIFA standing in the 102 slot, they are supreme than the Philippine team whose ranking is in the 159th place.
Weiss said in FIFA.com that they had to strengthen their defence and eventually they are looking forward of creating some sort of changes.
The away game which is scheduled to be held this July 23 in Kuwait will be a tough game for the Azkals as Weiss mentioned that only if they were given a year to prepare well for this match, this will be having a big advantage knowing the potential of the Azkals member. However, team Azkals had said that they will put a good play for this.
For the first game, Weiss is looking forward for an improve defence from the Azkals and they will not focus first in having a goal, if they could make the first game a draw with zero scores for the aggregate, then they will do it.
Currently, Azkals were having further practice games and trainings as preparation. They were trying to enhance and put better adjustments in the playing field knowing that two of their players will not be playing for the away game namely Aly Borromeo, Azkals team captain and Stephan Schrock. The two can’t make it to the first game due to the two yellow cards they earned on the second game versus Sri Lanka.
Aside from transitions and changes in the strategies, new players will be added to the team just like Jason de Jong to name a few. He had been with Azkals during the 2010 Suzuki Cup.
Moreover, another challenge for Azkals in the away game in Kuwait is the temperature, for unlike the Philippines, Kuwait is a hotter place with temperature on 45 degrees Celsius.