Azkals manager expresses confidence

PHILIPPINE Azkals manager Dan Palami on Tuesday expressed confidence that they can produce a better result than the 0-3 defeat they absorbed to Kuwait in the home leg of their second round World Cup Qualifying at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Thursday.
       “I think it will be a better match for us,” said Palami during the PSA Forum yesterday at the Shakey's U.N. Avenue in Manila.
       Palami's confidence stems from the return of skipper Aly Borromeo and midfielder Stephan Schrock, who sat out the first leg in Kuwait City because of suspension, and the fact that the Azkals will be playing at home.
       The Azkals have not lost at home since 2006.
       “We have a stronger lineup and I think we can compete with them in the midfield and in defense,” said Palami. “We hope the crowd will be a factor. Hopefully, it will intimidate the Kuwaitis and lift the spirits of our players.”
       The Azkals manager hinted that there might be no change in approach for the Azkals, who were unlucky not to go ahead in the first half, before yielding two goals in the second half.
       “We will stick to the game plan. We had a good first half against Kuwait even though we played defensive. When we got adventurous, that's when they killed us,” Palami observed.
       But Palami pointed out that there are still alot of positives from the loss to what he called an Asian powerhouse.
       “Kuwait has been in the World Cup. They are really a strong team and competing with them is a testament on how the sport has developed here in the country,” he added in the same session presented by Smart, PAGCOR, Outlast Battery, Shakey’s.
       The Azkals will also pin their hopes on leading international scorer Phil Younghusband and his strike partner Angel Guirado, midfielders Jason de Jong, Manny Ott, James Younghusband, defenders Rob Gier, Anton del Rosario and Rey Jonsson and goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.
       The Azkals can also count on homegrown talents Chieffy Caligdong, Ian Araneta and Roel Gener.(PSA PR)

PSA to discuss shooting, basketball, football, chess

TOPICS ranging from shooting, basketball, football and chess will be the subject of a busy discussion on Tuesday’s session of the PSA Forum at Shakey’s U.N. Ave.
       Philippine Football Federation (PFF) officials Cathy Rivilla and Bonnie Ladrido lead the panel of guests in the session aired live over DZSR Sports Radio 918 and presented by Smart, Outlast Battery, Shakey’s, and PAGCOR. The two are going to talk about the World Cup qualifying match between our own Philippine Azkals against Sri Lanka on July 3 at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
       Joining them are executives and organizers of the forthcoming Bolo Cup shooting championships, as well as former national coach and Coca-Cola Hoopla commissioner Joe Lipa and Carlo Singson of NBA Asia as they elaborate on next week’s visit of former NBA star Horace Grant in the country.
       Also gracing the public sports program are officers of University of Perpetual Help Dalta System, host of this year’s NCAA season, headed by school president and Policy Board chairman Anthony Jose Tamayo and Mike Del Mundo, NCAA ManCom chairman, together with National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCF) executive director Jayson Gonzales, who will be coming over for the Artillery Foundation of the Philippines (AFPI) Chess For A Cause.[PSA PR]