Azkals eye three training venue

PHILIPPINE Military Academy's Borromeo field tops the list of venues of the Philippine Azkals when they visit the Summer Capital for a ten-day training.

The team is scheduled to arrive on Feb. 19.

Shortly after their 2-0 victory against the Mongolia Blu Wolves in the classification round of the Asian Football Cup, the Azkals are eyeing three training venues in the city.

Borromeo Field has enough space for the squad to train and at the same time acclimatize before they move to Mongolia for their March 15 match in Ulan Bator.

The Azkals are supposed to have their training in Cebu for ten days but opted to come up to Baguio instead because temperature in Mongolia these days reportedly reaches as low as -17 degree Celsius.

Two more venues are also being considered--Brent School and Benguet State University.

Training for the Azkals will officially start on Feb. 21 and will run until March 3, four days before eight division title holder and Congressman Manny Pacquiao comes up for his high altitude training against Sugar Shane Mosley.

The visit of the Azkals is expected to trigger the City's emerging football popularity despite the lack of proper playing venues.

Football was a popular sport in the 70s and 80s in the city. At that time, University of the Philippines Baguio, the Philippine Military Academy and the Brent International School had weekly tournaments.

Even up to today, football is played at the Melvin Jones football grounds by foreign students coming from Africa, South Korea, India, Pakistan and the United States with the help of local football organizations like the Baguio United Football Club.

The event will also add luster to the upcoming Panagbenga football Cup which is also being hatched by BUFC. (Roderick Osis)

Sun Star Baguio