MANILA – The Philippine Men’s Senior National Football Team salvaged a scoreless draw with Chinese League powerhouse Guangzhou Evergrande in a friendly match on Sunday in Guangzhou, China.
The result was positive for the Scott Cooper-mentored Azkals squad after suffering a 0-2 defeat at the hands of Chinese Men’s National Football Team on Friday evening in Guangzhou.
The friendly against the Evergrande had an unusual format as it was played in three 30-minute periods allowing the Azkals’ training camp invitees to showcase their skills on the pitch.
The twin friendly match in Guangzhou was part of the Azkals’ preparation for the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, which will start this September.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Under-22 Azkals settled for a four-place finish in the four team field in the 2019 Merlion Cup after a 0-5 defeat at the hands of the Indonesian Under-23 squad the bronze medal at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore.
Muhammad Rafli was on fire for the Garuda Muda as he recorded a hat trick, with his first goal coming in the 6th minute. Rizky Dwi Febrianto and Ansawi Bahar also made their contributions for the Indons.
The Anto Gonzales-mentored Azkals will head home and head back to the drawing board as they prepare for their Southeast Asian Games bid this November in the country./PN
