Coach: Azkals capable of beating Brave Reds

Peter Atencio - Manila Standard Today


ACTING under-23 football coach Yanti Barsales expressed confidence yesterday that the Philippine Azkals national football team has what it takes to beat the Sri Lanka Brave Reds when they clash in their first home-and-away encounter at the Sri Lankan national squad’s own home grounds at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Wednesday.

“Kayang-kaya nila iyan. Makakalusot tayo. Ito na ang pinakamalakas nating national team,” said the former member of the Azkals, who retired last month at age 38.

Barsales said the Azkals had enough time to prepare against the Brave Reds, who had also undergone a revamp and will be playing with a new lineup.

Since his retirement last month, Barsales has accepted the job of forming the national under-23 squad to the Southeast Asian Games, and will be in charge of the team, while coach Hans Michael Weiss is busy handling the Azkals’ World Cup qualifying encounter with the Brave Reds.

The Football Federation of Sri Lanka tinkered with the lineup of the Brave Reds with only two weeks left before the Sri Lanka nationals face the Philippine Azkals for the World Cup qualifying matches in Colombo tomorrow and on Sunday in Manila.

Sri Lankall football officials placed veteran forward Kasun Jayasuriya under suspension and two other teammates were sanctioned over allegations of match-fixing within their Premier League.

Saunders SC defender Rohana Ruwanthilake, a mainstay of Sri Lanka’s national team in the last four international tournaments, will again lead the Brave Reds’ campaign against the Azkals.

Other veteran players in Sri Lanka’s lineup include midfielders Chathura Gunaratne, Nadeeka Pushpakumara, Fazul Rahuman and Mohammed Izzadeen.

Sri Lanka’s Korean coach Jang Jung said in an online article which appeared in the Daily Mirror that “they (Philippine Azkals) have grown very fast and are going to be a difficult opposition for us.”

In their previous international outings, Sri Lanka lost to DPR Korea 4-0, Afghanistan, 1-0, and drew 0-all with Nepal in the AFC Challenge Cup.