PH Azkals vs Tajikistan in a do-or-die match

The Philippine National Football team Azkals will attempt to snatch the remaining semifinal berth of the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup when it goes up against Tajikistan in Nepal this Tuesday. This is a must-win for the Azkals if they want to join North Korea, Turkmenistan and Palestine in the semifinals.

The team from Tajikistan also called the Persian Lions ranked number 145 in the FIFA list while the Azkals ranked number 153 in the world. However, the Philippine team is enjoying a boost in their confidence as they are coming off a 2-0 triumph over former champion India. The team from Tajikistan, on the other hand, suffered from a 2-0 loss from North Korea.

The Tajikistan Persian Lions have always been a strong competitor in the AFC Challenge Cup, having won the title in 2006 and it reached the semifinals in 3 consecutive times.

Azkals win over the 2008 Challenge Cup champion India was a history of sorts for the Philippine national team, as it was the first time they defeated this team.
An article posted on the AFC Challenge Cup website tagged Phil Younghusband as the man to watch as the Azkals faces Tajikistan. Younghusband scored in the 11th and 74th minutes of their game last Sunday over India that sent the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup.

The game will be aired live on Studio 23, Tajikisitan vs. Philippines on March 13, Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. (kick-off at 5:15 p.m.)