Karl Decena, InterAKTV
The Rizal Memorial Football Stadium pitch is expected to be at its top condition when the Philippine national men’s football team competes in the 2014 Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup qualifiers this month.
Philippine Football Federation secretary-general Edwin Gastanes said that with the help of the Philippine Sports Commission, the field has been closed since the second week of February to have it improved and preserved by a maintenance contractor in time for the tournament.
“We’re looking forward to a beautiful pitch,” Gastanes said, adding that it might reach its best condition which was last achieved when the Azkals played Kuwait during the World Cup qualifiers two years ago.
The Rizal Stadium last hosted the Azkals on December last year during the ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup semifinals where the Filipinos settled for a nil-nil draw against Singapore. It was the squad’s first home match in the history of the tournament.
The Azkals will play Brunei Darussalam on March 22, Cambodia on March 24 and Turkmenistan on March 26 in Group E of the Challenge Cup qualifiers.
The top team from the group, as well as the two best second-placed teams in tournament, will advance to the Challenge Cup proper in Maldives next year, where the Azkals look to surpass their third-place finish in the same tournament last year.
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