Azkals bare lineup for AFF U-23 Championship

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine men's U23 lineup set to compete at the AFF U23 Championship in Phnom Penh, Cambodia this month has been revealed.

Fresh after the women's side's successful AFC Women's Asian Cup campaign in India, the Philippine Football Federation is hoping for another great showing with the youth team.

Twenty-six players, all born after January 1999, were called up for the competition where they are grouped with hosts Cambodia, Timor Leste and Brunei Darussalam.

The lineup is headlined by holdovers from the AFF Suzuki Cup December last year and the U-23 Championship qualifiers last October.

Midfielders Oskari Kekkonen, Oliver Bias, Dennis Chung, Sandro Reyes and goalkeeper Quincy Kammeraad headline the returnees in the lineup.

Also included in the lineup are players based overseas like Northeastern State University's Scott Phillip Woods, Erkskine University's Jacob Pena, CF Badalona's Antoine Ortega, Jaboc Maniti of Macarthur FC in Australia, and David Setters of Portsmouth FC in England.

Most of the players are attached with the squad through the Azkals Development Team.

Among those from the ADT are Pete Andrei Forrosuelo, Matt Ocampo, Adnres Aldeguer and Ivan Ouano.

Rounding up the 26-man squad to be coached by Stewart Hll are Enrico Mangaoang, Jessie Semblante, Gyles Encabo, Jayvee Kallukaran, Elijah Liao, Miguel Mendoza, Jaime Rosquillo, Pocholo Bugas, Kieran Hayes, Nathan Rilloraza, Mariano Suba Jr. and Griffin McDaniel.

McDaniel is the brother of PWNFT stalwarts Olivia and Chandler McDaniel.

The Philippines’ campaign in Cambodia begins on Monday, February 14, against Timor Leste.

They face Cambodia and Brunei Darussalam on February 17 and 20, respectively, to wrap up their Group A matches.