Azkals gearing for AFF Suzuki Cup

The Philippine Azkals is all set to compete at the AFF Suzuki Cup on November 19, a report on Unang Balita said on Friday.

The team is among the Group of Death together with powerhouse teams from Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia who eliminated the Azkals in 2010, 2012 and 2014 installment of the Suzuki Cup.

Azkals team captain Phil Younghusband, however, is confident they will be able to make it to the finals, which will be held in the Philippines, GMA News' Mark Zambrano reported.

They will draw strength from a friendly match on Saturday against Bahrain. 

"Of those three times, we beat them once so we still have a lot to prove against them. And also we're playing at home this time... It'll feel a bit different. Different conditions, different turf," Younghusband said.

Phils' brother James is back on the lineup.

"When you've got family with you, it's always special," Phil said.

He said the team needs to refine its center back defense since Daisuke Sato, Stephan Palla, and goalkeeper Neil Etheridge won't be able to join the games.

Roland Muller and Patrick Deyte will be the team's goalkeepers, coach Thomas Dooley said.

Azkals mainstays Misagh Bahadoran, Stephan Schröck, Luke Woodland, and Iain Ramsay will also compete.

New players Junior Muñoz and Mike Ott may also be given a chance to play.

Dooley asked for the public's support for the Azkals' games. 

"We really need you as the 12th man on the field because our players will play another 10 percent more when they see the fans are here and they like the way we play," Dooley said.

The Azkals will compete against Singapore on Nov. 19; against Indonesia on Nov. 22; and against Thailand on Nov. 25.

The competition will be held at the Philippine Sports Stadium. —KG, GMA News