Azkals seek 2nd win vs lowly Timor Leste

Match tonight (Kuala Lumpur Stadium)

8 p.m. – Timor Leste vs Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Azkals look to unleash their best against lightweight Timor Leste as they shoot for their second consecutive win in Group B of the Asean Football Federation Suzuki Cup tonight at Kuala Lumpur Stadium in Malaysia.

The Pinoy booters opened their campaign with a 1-0 dispatching of Singapore in Bacolod last Tuesday and are deadset on scoring a follow-up versus the only winless team in the group, which plays “home” in the 8 p.m. fixture.   

Azkals coach Sven Goran Eriksson cautioned his wards against complacency in facing a Timorese side previously thrashed by Thailand (0-7) and beaten by off-form Indonesia (1-3).

“I hope we play a good game, play good football, defend well and win the game,” Eriksson was quoted by ESPN5. “You can’t take them for granted.  If you don’t perform, if you don’t fight, if you have the wrong mentality going out there, you will not win.”

The former England manager maintained the job is far from complete.

“Our objective is to qualify (to the semis) from the group and although we won (the first game), it doesn’t mean we are done,” he said after the maiden victory sparked by Patrick Reichelt’s 78th minute winner.

Eriksson, meanwhile, reported that Phl XI lost defender Luke Woodland for the rest of the tournament. Woodland suffered a leg injury in the game against the Lions and will take a month to recover. – Olmin Leyba