MANILA – The national men’s football team will bank on a new goal keeper as it begin its campaign in the 2022 World Cup Qualifying against Syria on Sept. 5 at Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City.
Azkals head coach Scott Cooper said Michael Falkesgaard and Patrick Deyto will took turns in place of national team mainstay Neil Etheridge who has ruled himself out of the first two matches of the qualifier.
“Michael is really good with his feet and Patrick has been a revelation at Suphanburi. I’m glad Patrick has taken a step up in terms of the level of competition he’s playing in right now,” Cooper said. “We’re really blessed in that position.”
The Azkals has been bracketed with the People’s Republic of China, Syria, Maldives and Guam in Group A .
The Philippines needs to finish on top of the group to move on to the next qualification phase of the World Cup.
A second-place standing will also allow the national men’s football team to advance to the second round of the qualifier but it must be one of the four best runners-up for that to happen.
“We’re very positive and the expectation is to win, not just see what we can do against these teams,” said Cooper. “We have to give a bit more fight and have a lot more belief.
Performances are always good, but we need results.” The national football squad’s matches at Panaad are against Syria on Sept. 5, People’s Republic of China on Oct. 15, Guam on March 26, 2020 and Maldives on June 9, 2020.
Away matches for the Azkals are at Guam on Sept. 10, Maldives on Nov. 14, Syria on Nov. 19, and China on June 4, 2020./PN
