RP gets favorable draw
TEAM Philippines’ chances of bagging a medal in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games football event just got a bit brighter after yesterday’s draw.
Philippines is in Group A together with defending champion Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia. Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia are in Group B.
“Chances are better (to qualify for the semifinals) since Malaysia and Cambodia are not that strong,” said RP training pool member and former University of San Jose – Recoletos striker Oliver Colina.
Team Philippines is hoping to win its first medal in football in this year’s Seag. In 2001, it managed to qualify for the semifinals but lost both its matches to finish fourth.
As defending champion, Thailand is expected to top Group A and the Philippines is hoping to finish second to make its second semifinal appearance in the biennial meet.
In their last match during the Pre-Seag event in Vietnam, Malaysia defeated the Philippines, 2-1, with former Carmen National School booter Arnie Pasinabo scoring the lone goal. On the other hand, Cambodia won over RP, 1-0, in the 2002 Tiger Cup.
On the other hand, the RP team is fresh from a 21-day training stint in China where they played with local clubs and universities.
“It was great, we never lost a match there,” Colina said.
Among those who joined the China training were Cebuanos Jhuniel Bapor and another former Carmen boy, Michael Casas.
The RP team just arrived Sunday night and will leave for Bacolod this afternoon.
“We will have further training there and two or three practice matches,” Colina said.
Though he has spent stayed six months with the training pool and has gone to two trips abroad, Colina is still not a shoo-in for a spot for the team that will play in the Seag, on Nov. 19-Dec 5.
“The competition is very tough for the positions, because there are a lot of good players,” Colina said.
Though 30 players will be sent to the final phase of training in Bacolod, only 20 will be nominated for the final line-up and six Fil-foreigners are also expected to be inserted into the team.
Brothers Philip and James Younghusband of Chelsea FC are expected this week along with Paul and Chris Greatwhich, Chad Gould and another Fil-Foreigner.
Philippines is in Group A together with defending champion Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia. Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia are in Group B.
“Chances are better (to qualify for the semifinals) since Malaysia and Cambodia are not that strong,” said RP training pool member and former University of San Jose – Recoletos striker Oliver Colina.
Team Philippines is hoping to win its first medal in football in this year’s Seag. In 2001, it managed to qualify for the semifinals but lost both its matches to finish fourth.
As defending champion, Thailand is expected to top Group A and the Philippines is hoping to finish second to make its second semifinal appearance in the biennial meet.
In their last match during the Pre-Seag event in Vietnam, Malaysia defeated the Philippines, 2-1, with former Carmen National School booter Arnie Pasinabo scoring the lone goal. On the other hand, Cambodia won over RP, 1-0, in the 2002 Tiger Cup.
On the other hand, the RP team is fresh from a 21-day training stint in China where they played with local clubs and universities.
“It was great, we never lost a match there,” Colina said.
Among those who joined the China training were Cebuanos Jhuniel Bapor and another former Carmen boy, Michael Casas.
The RP team just arrived Sunday night and will leave for Bacolod this afternoon.
“We will have further training there and two or three practice matches,” Colina said.
Though he has spent stayed six months with the training pool and has gone to two trips abroad, Colina is still not a shoo-in for a spot for the team that will play in the Seag, on Nov. 19-Dec 5.
“The competition is very tough for the positions, because there are a lot of good players,” Colina said.
Though 30 players will be sent to the final phase of training in Bacolod, only 20 will be nominated for the final line-up and six Fil-foreigners are also expected to be inserted into the team.
Brothers Philip and James Younghusband of Chelsea FC are expected this week along with Paul and Chris Greatwhich, Chad Gould and another Fil-Foreigner.
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