Fair Play: Four months to do magic on CCSC field
(This is my Fair Play column for Sun.Star Cebu's July 3 edition) NOV. 17, 2015. Mark that date. That’s the day the Azkals will return to Cebu for another friendly against a yet to be named foe. By that time, we’ll know if we’re still chasing a spot in the 2018 World Cup or would we be settling for a spot in the 2019 Asian Cup as the second round of the qualifiers also serves as the qualifiers for the Asian tournament. Before the Nov. 17 friendly, the Philippines will face dangerous Uzbekistan at home on Sept. 8, face North Korea in Pyeongyang on Oct. 10 and then Bahrain on Oct. 13. The best results to hope for, of course, is a win in all three matches but playing the North Koreans at their own court would be one of the hardest matches ever and at World No. 74 to the Azkals World No. 137, Uzbekistan is one of the highest-ranking foes we would be meeting.