Saturday, November 18, 2006
RP faces Cambodia today
Games today
4:30 p.m Philippines vs. Cambodia
7 p.m. Brunei vs. Laos
BACOLOD City - Team Philippines will take on a spiraling Cambodia squad in a "do-or-die" match in the first game of today's Asean Football Federation Championships qualifying tournament at the Panaad Park and Stadium.
The country currently sits at the number three spot with three points in two games, while Cambodia is fourth with two points in two matches.
Leader Laos, which has seven points, will face second-ranked Brunei in the second match today.
Same assignment
"We have the same assignment (as Cambodia) we have to win tomorrow (today)," said coach Aris Caslib, who steered the team to its best win in decades, a 7-0 bashing of Timor Leste.
If the Philippines win today and Brunei loses, the home team will move to second, going on the final match on Monday.
Meanwhile, Cebuano fans can catch the action live over a national sports channel, which will air the last two matches of the Philippines.
However, if both the Philippines and Brunei loses, the battle for the second spot will swing in Cambodia's favor.
Only the top two teams will make it to the next round in Thailand early next year.
Advantages
Cambodia will move to second with a win, and another victory in its final game against Timor Leste will earn them outright second, while the Philippines will only be third even if it beats Brunei.
Still, the Philippines will have two advantages going into today's match---rest and player availability.
Cambodia, which conceded an injury time goal to Brunei last Thursday, will lose the services of Sun Sovannarith and Om Thavrak.
"They lost a good defender in Thavrak, maybe we can exploit that," said Caslib, whose team is on a three-day rest compared to Cambodia's one.
Though Caslib will also lose Jefrrey Liman, who got two yellow cards, he's got other aces up his sleeves.
"It's not a problem, Mathew Brauner can take his place. We will have 17 fit players," Caslib said. (ML)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (November 18, 2006 issue)
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