The Philippine Under-16 football team is optimistic but wants to remain realistic of its chances in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-16 Championship 2018 qualifying stage.
Setting their qualification campaign into motion, the junior Filipino booters tackle South Korea on Monday at 4:30 p.m. (Manila time) at the Thuwunna Youth Training Centre Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar.
Head coach Roxy Dorlas, who is on his first stint as mentor of a national team, is hopeful of an all-out effort from his young Azkals.
�As a coach and as a player before, we always want to have results and good performance. With the mentality and the attitude of the players that we have, their desire of winning is very high,� Dorlas, who was a former Philippine Azkal, told The Manila Times.
Team skipper Juan Miguel Basmayor shares the same confidence heading into the qualifying phase of the biennial youth football tournament.
�Based on the national teams that I joined in the past few years, I think this is the best team that I had. I believe that this team would go further than the other teams that I�ve joined,� said Basmayor, a junior booter from De La Salle Zobel.
However, the Philippines is set to battle it out with powerhouse teams South Korea, China and Myanmar in Group H for the lone sure spot to the main stage.
�It�s a very tough group� We can expect high-quality football. That�s why we�re trying to be realistic. We target to have a good performance,� said Dorlas.
Having to face strong oppositions, the 30-year old Dutch-Filipino coach has a constant reminder for his junior booters.
�I keep reminding them that they are a group of talented football players. We just stay positive and keep encouraging each other that we have a chance,� said Dorlas.
JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA
http://www.manilatimes.net/junior-azkals-face-sokors-afc-u16-qualifers/352551/
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