PFF , Cebu officials confused about date of Azkals match

InterAKTV/Markku Seguerra

As Cebuano fans brace themselves for hosting the Philippine national men’s football team’s friendly match against Singapore, it turns out that one important detail is yet to be determined about the game: the date.

Cebu Football Association President Ricky Dakay told InterAKTV earlier that the Azkals match against Singapore is slated on November 16, but the Philippine Football Federation said a different date is scheduled for the friendly.

“It is November 15. That is the date set between PFF and FA Singapore,” PFF marketing and communications head Richard Joson told InterAKTV.

Dakay, however, insisted otherwise.

“They wanted November 16 as it is a Friday. It would have more spectators if the game is on Friday,” Dakay told InterAKTV.

But the PFF stood its ground on the November 15 date, saying that the schedule has been confirmed even by the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA as early as July 16.

“No request from any of these football bodies to change it and no official correspondence has been released nor received with another date from 15 Nov,” the PFF secretariat wrote in a text message forwarded by Joson to InterAKTV.

The scheduled friendly against Singapore in Cebu will be the last match of the Azkals before heading to Thailand for the 2012 ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup, in which they look to surpass their historic semifinal run in the tournament two years ago.

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