The Philippine men’s football team, Azkals, will have a tune-up match this weekend at the Panaad football field in Bacolod City, against Ceres Football Club and Global Football Club in preparation for its friendly game against Malaysia on June 1, Juvy Lizares, president of the Visayas Football League, said yesterday.

The Azkals will play against Ceres FC on Saturday at 4 p.m. while Global FC will match against Ceres FC at 7 p.m. The winners will have a rematch on Sunday at 4 p.m. while losers will play against each other at 7p.m.

Richard Joson, of the Philippine Football Federation said the tune up games are all geared towards the return game here in Panaad on June 12 where Azkals will play against Guam for the FIFA International Friendly match.

He said this is an A Team match that holds the FIFA world rankings and the result of the game against Guam national team will affect the Azkals team standing that is currently at 148th place.

Lizares also said the performance of the Azkals will not be affected even without its goal keeper Neil Etheridge, who was given a one-match suspension by the AFC Disciplinary Committee last month.

He said the team has 3 to 4 goal keepers who are all capable to replacing Etheridge, and that he and even team coachHans MichaelWeiss have not yet decided who will be its first keeper in its game against Guam.

“They are now in training camp to prepare for their matches next week against Malaysia on June 1, against Indonesia on June 5 and June 12 here in Negros so I suspect Coach Weiss will decide on his first 11 close to the date of the match already,” Lizares said.

The Azkals will also have a football clinic with the Bantay Bata kids tomorrow at the University of St. La Salle-Bacolod, Joson added. *LTG

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