Azkals call on Pinoy fans for support for home game vs. Uzbekistan

The Azkals calling on Filipinos to support them in their upcoming World Cup qualifying match against Uzbekistan on September 8 at the Philippine Sports Stadium in Bocaue, Bulacan.

"We need the support of Filipino football enthusiasts and even non-football fans to fill up the Philippine Sports Stadium in Bulacan, and applaud and inspire our players to give their best for the country," said Azkals team manager Dan Palami.

"The team is very motivated to end the qualifying round at the top of the group to be able to move a step closer to the World Cup. It’s an uphill goal but we will do our best to achieve it."

Having fielded the best squad yet composed of both local and overseas-based players, the Azkals are coming off a hot streak in the World Cup qualifiers with a historic first win over Bahrain (2-1) and a 2-nil victory against Yemen in its second match. The team's effort was duly rewarded as they now rank 124th in the FIFA rankings, the Philippines' highest in history.

A win over the 75th-ranked Uzbekistan will help the national team book their slot to the second round of the World Cup Qualifiers and also earn a slot in the next AFC Asian cup.

But the Azkals know that beating the battle-tested Central Asian squad won't be easy, thus soliciting all the support they can get from the Filipino people.

"There’s no better way to push our Azkals to play at the top of their game, score goals and impose a high-pressure defense on the opponents than the thunderous applause, encouraging shouts of fans and electric atmosphere in the stadium," said Azkals coach Thomas Dooley. - JST, GMA News