Azkals arrange China friendly

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Azkals will get a helping hand from China in gearing up for their next assignment in the Asian Cup Qualifiers.

According to Philippine Football Federation general secretary Edwin Gastanes, an international friendly between the Azkals and Team Dragon has been set for June 7 in the Southern Chinese City of Guangzhou.

“The men’s ‘A’ teams of China PR and the Philippines will play a friendly on June 7 in Guangzhou,China,” Gastanes confirmed to The STAR yesterday.

The 127th-ranked Azkals expect to get a good workout against the No. 81 Team Dragon as they build up for their next assignment in the ACQ, an away match versus Tajikistan over in Dushanbe.

“This (friendly against China) will serve as tuneup match of the Philippine team before the team goes to Tajikistan for its Asian Cup Qualifiers match against Tajikistan,” Gastanes said.

Phl XI will gun for its second straight win in Group F of the ACQ versus the Tajiks after opening with a 4-1 rout of Nepal last March in Manila.

The Chinese had already qualified to the 2019 Asian Cup, their entry as one of four best runners-up aided by Phl’s group win over North Korea back in the second round of the ACQ. China still needs to get in shape as it is slated to face Syria in the third round of the World Cup Qualifiers on June 13 in neutral Malaysia.