Azkals to host Palestine, Chinese Taipei, Myanmar in 2014 Peace Cup

The Philippine Football Federation announced Thursday the international teams invited to participate in the Peace Cup with the national football team.

 

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup champion Palestine will compete in this year's meet along with Chinese Taipei and Myanmar to give the Azkals what is expected to be the toughest challenge in the three-year-old tournament's history.

 

Vietnam was also eyed to join the tournament but it opted to decline after the draw for the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup. The Philippines and Vietnam are both in Group A together with Indonesia.

 

"This will be a good preparation for us when we go up against our Southeast Asian neighbors in the Suzuki Cup," said Azkals team manager Dan Palami.

 

The Azkals is tentatively scheduled to face Chinese Taipei on September 3 and Myanmar on September 6. Palestine, which recently defeated the squad in the Challenge Cup, will be clashing with them on September 9.

 

"We have some good competition. The first two games are very important for us to prepare for the big game against Palestine," said Azkals coach Thomas Dooley.

 

The games will be held in the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

 

The Philippines bagged the first place for the last two years in the Peace Cup, which is organized by the PFF to celebrate the peace month in the country. — JST, GMA News