The country’s national football team, Philippine Azkals is considered as the top choice among sportswriters in the region as the favorite to win the title of the 2014 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup in Maldives.
Azkals in Maldives (Photo: Ace Bright Instagram)
Based upon online poll, the Philippine Azkals is considered as the toughest team to beat in the AFC Challenge Cup, the final qualification for the highly anticipated Asian Cup in 2015 to be held in Australia.
Although they were chosen as the favorite to win the competition, the Azkals expect no easy opponent in the tournament which will be held starting today, May 19, 2014 and will end on May 30, 2014 in the island nation of Maldives.
In an interview with a Maldivian website, Azkals striker and considered as one of Asia’s most popular player, Phil Younghusband was quoted as saying “All the teams in this tournament are strong and (there are) no easy games in this competition,” Phil Younghusband stated.
He added further that “We have to do our homework and research on the other teams and make sure we know their weaknesses and strengths.” Younghusband added.
In the official website of the 2015 Asian Cup, the Philippine Azkals were leading the poll with a total of 703 votes or 38.95% of the total respondent’s nod on the eve of the bootfest. The Philippines is followed by Afghanistan who garnered around 400 votes (22.16%) and Palestine with 220 votes (12.19%).
The Azkals will faced their toughest opponent in the competition on their opening game in Group B on Tuesday night in Addu City. The team will face Afghanistan, a higher-ranked team based on FIFA rankings. The Azkals opponent also featured some of their European-based squad on their squad.