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| Photo from Zulte Waregem and New Mexico United |
by Drew Malihan
MANILA - Additional firepower for the national team now confirmed!
SV Zulte Waregem winger Dylan Demuynck and New Mexico United right-back Zico Bailey made Tom Saintfiet's 28-man squad of the Philippine men's national football team on Sunday.
Both players were under the national team's radar for months, with Coach Saintfiet even going abroad to scout young players for the team.
Other players who will look for their first cap include Alex Monis of New England Revolution II, who had three goals in nine caps, and Scott Woods of Eik Tønsberg, who had seven caps this season in the third-tier tier of Norwegian football.
Stallion Laguna's Finn McDaniel, who currently leads the Philippines Football League scoring charts, also received his first call after more than a year, while brothers Matthew and Michael Baldisimo and Paul Tabinas were among the notable holdovers from the last lineup.
Here is the full 28-man squad for the June 2024 window:
Goalkeepers: Neil Etheridge (Birmingham City), Kevin Ray Mendoza Hansen (Persib Bandung), Anthony Pinthus (PSS Sleman)
Defenders: Amani Aguinaldo (Trat), Jesse Curran (Ratchaburi), Yrick Gallantes (One Taguig), Simen Lyngbo (Persik Kediri), Jesper Nyholm (Perak). Kristofer Reyes (Krabi FC), Christian Rontini (Persita Tangerang), Santiago Rublico (Atletico Madrid U19), Paul Tabinas (Vukovar 1991), Adrian Ugelvik (Levanger).
Midfielders: Zico Bailey (New Mexico United), Matthew Baldisimo (York United), Michael Baldisimo (San Jose Earthquakes), Pocholo Bugas (Angkor Tiger), Kevin Ingreso (One Taguig), Mark Swainston (Kaya-Iloilo), Oskari Kekkonen (Lamphun Warriors), Scott Woods (Eik Tønsberg).
Forwards: Jeremiah Borlongan (DH Cebu), Dylan Demuynck (Zulte Waregem), Jarvey Gayoso (Kaya-Iloilo), Finn McDaniel (Stallion Laguna), Alex Monis (New England Revolution II), OJ Porteria (Dewa United), Patrick Reichelt (Kuala Lumpur City).
Of the 28, eight will try to win their first cap, while Reichelt, Etheridge, and Aguinaldo were the only players in the squad with 50 or more appearances for the senior team.
The national team will play both away against Vietnam on May 6 and then Indonesia five days later, with them looking forward to getting all six points in hopes of advancing to the World Cup Qualifiers third round.
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