Header Ads Widget

Azkals to face Fiji in friendly before vital ACQ clash

The Azkals now have ample time to test their chemistry before Tajikistan comes to town. file
By Kevin Estrada

MANILA--The Philippines now had an opponent for their friendly before their crunch Asian Cup qualifier against Tajikistan on March 27.

This has been confirmed by the Philippine Football Federation on Wednesday, as Fiji are set to pay a visit for a tiff with the Azkals on March 22 at Rizal Memorial.

After conceding their top spot in the ASEAN ladder to UAE-bound Vietnam last year, the 123rd-ranked Azkals are hoping to test their chemistry before their crucial tie, something that they never did in their last three ACQs where they only muster a draw in each of those tiffs with Yemen and Nepal.

Ranked 168 in the world, Fiji will be the second Oceania side to test Thomas Dooley's men, after Papua New Guinea, who were at the wrong end of a 5-0 thrashing in 2014.

Managed by Frenchman Christophe Gamel, the Bula Boys are expected to be led by Roy Krishna who plies his trade with Wellington Phoenix of the A-League.

Follow him on Twitter: @KevinLEstrada