Azkals, Philippines’ national football team, go for history in 2014 AFC Challenge Cup Final

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The Azkals, Philippines’ national football team, go for history as ABS-CBN Sports+Action, the official broadcaster of the 2014 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup, airs the finals live where the Azkals will battle Palestine for the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup Championship at the National Stadium in Male, Maldives on Friday (May 30).

The Philippines has never won the AFC Challenge Cup, a tournament for developing and emerging football nations. In addition, no Southeast Asian country has ever won the said tournament.

The Azkals can end both droughts with a victory over Palestine.

The Azkals are coming off a dramatic and highly emotional 3 – 2 win in extra time over host country Maldives during the semifinals last Tuesday (May 27). Phil Younghusband gave the Philippines the lead with his goal in the 19thminute before the Maldives leveled the score in the 33rd minute.

Jerry Lucena restored the advantage for the visiting Philippines three minutes later, but the Maldivians equalized in the second half with a goal off a corner kick in the 66th minute.

Chris Greatwich, who was the hero in the Azkals' stunning win over Vietnam in the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup, provided the game-winner as he tapped in a goal off a deflected shot from teammate Patrick Reichelt in the 104th minute.

The champion of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup will also earn an automatic berth to the 2015 AFC Asian Cup in Australia, and will be bracketed in Group D together with Iraq, Jordan, and AFC Cup defending champion Japan.

The championship match between the Philippines and Palestine will be a rematch of the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup Third Place match in which the Azkals won, 4 – 3.

Will the Azkals’ run in the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup end on a historic note? Find out as ABS-CBN Sports+Action begins the live coverage of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup Finals on Friday (May 30) at 11:30 PM with replay on Saturday (May 31) at 4 PM.

Want to relive the Azkals’ 2014 AFC Challenge Cup campaign? Catch all of the Azkals' matches as ABS-CBN Sports+Action will air the replays their games in the tournament beginning Monday (June 2) until Friday (June 6).

ABS-CBN Sports + Action will air Azkals Matchups in the AFC Challenge Cup Live from Maldives

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Watch the matchups of the Azkals in the AFC Challenge Cup live! 

ABS-CBN Sports + Action, a free TV channel that serves as your primary go-to hub for all the sporting events you care about, indulges football fans as it airs the group stage of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup held in Maldives with focus on the tournament’s group B, which includes the Azkals, the Philippine national team.

Each game, each goal, each cheer counts for the Azkals in this year’s Challenge Cup as the country’s national football team looks to improve on their third-place record in 2012’s AFC Challenge Cup. At the same time, the winner of the tournament will earn a spot in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.

A stronger and more experienced national team will enter this year’s tournament as the roster includes returnees from the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup third-placing Azkals team such as captain and defender Rob Gier, midfielder Paul Mulders, goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, and brothers Phil Younghusband and James Younghusband. They will be joined by emerging new recruits in defender Simone Rota, midfielder Martin Steuble, goalkeeper Patrick Deyto, and forward Ruben “Balut” Doctora, Jr.

Calling the shots for the Azkals this year is international coach and former team captain of the USA national football team Thomas Dooley. The USA Football Hall of Famer brings with him his experience and a new playing style that enforces teamwork, pressing defense and tiki-taka style of passing.

Aside from the Azkals, group B of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup includes Afghanistan, Laos, and the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup first runner-up Turkmenistan.

All of Azkals’ games will air live on ABS-CBN Sports + Action beginning with the team’s first matchup against Afghanistan on Tuesday (May 20) at 11:30pm with replay on Wednesday (May 21) at 4:00pm. 

This is followed by its games against Laos on Thursday (May 22) at 6:30pm with replay on Friday (May 23) at 4:00pm, and against Turkmenistan on Saturday (May 24) at 6:30pm with replay on Sunday (May 25) at 4:00pm.

ABS-CBN Sports + Action continues its coverage of the AFC Challenge Cup group B with the special telecast of Turkmenistan vs Laos on Wednesday (May 21) at 10:00pm, and Afghanistan vs Turkmenistan on Friday (May 23) at 10:00pm.

Watch the matchups between the Azkals and the rest of group B of the AFC Challenge Cup during the group stage beginning with the live coverage of the Azkals’ first game on Tuesday (May 20), 11:30pm on ABS-CBN Sports + Action (SkyCable channel 17).

Six-shooter Phil Younghusband takes top scorer title

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Phil Younghusband’s double in the Philippines’ epic 4-3 win over Palestine in Monday’s third-place play-off saw the prolific Azkals’ striker emerge as the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup’s Top Scorer.

The 24-year-old confidently swept a 24th minute penalty passed Palestine keeper Ramzi Saleh for his tournament-topping sixth goal having netted number five just four minutes into the match with the West Asians.

Younghusband had gone into final day of an engrossing AFC Challenge Cup leading the race for the top scorer award having scored both goals in the Philippines' 2-0 win over 2008 champions India and the openers in both the 2-1 victory over inaugural winners Tajikistan and the semi-final defeat toTurkmenistan.

"Obviously, the attack has been getting the praise because we have been scoring but it's been a total team effort in this tournament," Younghusband said prior to the match with Palestine.

"My expectations are always to score more but the most important thing is the team wins."

"It's good because I have a connection with my brother James and Angel (Guirado) and this has helped me a lot while playing with Paul (Mulders) has also given me a lot of confidence," revealed the former Chelsea reserve forward, who has now netted 24 times since getting his first goal for the Azkals in 2007 AFF Suzuki Cup qualifier against Timor Leste.

Phil Younghusband, left, controls the ball against Palentine's defender Khaled A.K. during the AFC Challenge Cup soccer tournament bronze medal match in Katmandu,Nepal,  Monday, March 19, 2012. Philippines won the game 4-3. (AP Photo)