The Philippine National Men’s Football Team has another win in its record with a 2-0 victory over Maldives in a friendly match at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Thursday.
Maldives opened the scoring with a Mohamed Samdhooh header gone wrong at their own goal off the Azkals’ corner, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead at the 49th minute.
Defensive midfielder Jerry Lucena followed six minutes later with a header off Amani Aguinaldo’s own inside the box.
Aguinaldo about to receive the ball which later found Lucena. Kenneth Panlilio
The Azkals played the entire game with experimental plays and lineup as the national team saw the debut of FEU star Paolo Bugas in the midfield while UP sophomore Aguinaldo started at center back in place of veteran Rob Gier, who had just undergone knee surgery.
Bugas came on for Lucena later in the match. Kenneth Panlilio
It was the Azkals second win in as many games versus Maldives, one of its toughest opponents to date as they last met in the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup, where the former nipped the latter, 3-2, in extra time.
The 125th ranked Azkals will face the 76th ranked Uzbekistan at the Philippine Stadium on Tuesday for the 2019 World Cup Qualifiers at the Philippine Stadium in Bulacan.
The Uzbeks still have to win a game in the tournament after bowing out, 2-4, against North Korea in front of a riotous Pyongyang crowd last June.
The Filipinos, on the other hand, lead Group H of the tournament alongside their North Korean counterparts, with wins over Bahrain and Yemen.
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