Azkals hope for good draw
THE Philippine Azkals’ group in the coronavirus-stalled AFF Suzuki Cup will be determined today in Singapore.
The virtual draw, which is a first in the tournament’s history, is set at 3 p.m.
Placed in Pot 2 along with Myanmar, the Philippines hopes to gain a favorable draw in the region’s biggest football competition as it tries to sustain its semifinals record.
The Azkals have made it to the semis in four of the last five editions (2010, 2012, 2014 and 2018) but have not yet reached the final.
Vietnam, the reigning champions, is in Pot 1 along with Thailand.
Malaysia and Singapore are placed in the Pot 3, while Indonesia and Cambodia are in Pot 4. Laos is in Pot 5 along with either Brunei or Timor Leste.
The teams will be divided into two groups and play in the round-robin format of the tournament which will take place from December 5 to January 1, 2022.
The host country has yet to be announced.
Originally scheduled to take place on November 23-December 31 last year, the AFF Suzuki Cup was supposed to be staged last April 11 to May 8 but was postponed again due to the rising COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia.
