ADT coach: Azkals Dev't Team promising ahead of clash with United City

MANILA, Philippines — Three weeks into the 2022 Philippines Football League season, one team that has looked really good is the Azkals Development Team.

With a 1-1 slate heading into their third match against defending champions United City FC — originally scheduled for today, August 27 but pushed back for medical reasons by the latter — the ADT has looked solid on both offense and defense prompting head coach Jovanie Villagracia to convey his stamp of approval.

“So far we are in the third week of training and the players look promising. I think we are in the right direction,” said Villagracia after the youthful national’s training last Friday afternoon. “It was a big win for us [against Maharlika Manila FC] but what was important was how the players responded from our loss [to Kaya FC in the league opener].”

“Against UCFC, I expect a tough match for us as we play the defending champions but I think we prepared enough to give them a good match.”

The ADT is also composed of players who are getting ready for the Asian Football Confederation U-20 Asian Cup Qualification matches that will be held in Oman from September 14 to 18.

The Philippines is in Group G of the qualification along with Thailand, host Oman and Afghanistan. 

The matches will be played at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat with the Philippines taking on Oman in the opener on September 14. The top two teams of each group will qualify for the finals.