The Philippines men’s national football squad opens their final run up to the biennial Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup with their participation in the two-day Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Peace Cup starting Wednesday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.

The tournament’s back-to-back winners will open their title defense against Chinese Taipei at 7:00 pm, while 2014 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup champion Palestine will take on Myanmar in the 4:00 pm clash.

Originally set as a three-day affair, a ruling by FIFA – the sport’s governing body – that allows national teams to play a maximum two games during the international window forced the PFF to make the tournament a knockout affair.

Winners of both matches on Wendesday will square off for the cup in Saturday’s 7:00 p.m. match, while the losers will face off in the consolation match at 4:00 p.m. contest.

Forwards Phil Younghusband, Kenshiro Daniels, and Nate Burkey; midfielders James Younghusband, Chris Greatwich, Misagh Bahadoran, OJ Porteria, Patrick Reichelt, and Paul Mulders are among those named by Philippines Coach Thomas Dooley to the final roster for the tournament.

Defenders Simone Rota, Anton Del Rosario, Carlie De Murga, and captain Rob Gier will boost their frontline, while goalkeepers Patrick Deyto and Roland Muller will man the team’s defensive end.

Others who made the cut in the 23-man roster include Curt Dizon, Jason de Jong, Manny Ott, Mark Hartmann, Simon Greatwich, Amani Aguinaldo, Daisuke Sato, and Juani Guirado.

Both Dooley and Gier see this tournament crucial to their future success in the upcoming Suzuki Cup, due to start in late November in Vietnam.

“The team is always tight. The team has been good, training has been hard,” Gier said.

“All of us are playing for a spot in the Suzuki Cup later this year. There is always pressure involve especially playing here in Manila.”

“We have to go into the game as a must win situation. You want to win the game to make the fans happy,” said Dooley.