Azkals standing by for busy schedule

Conditions permitting, the Philippine Azkals may be up for a busy slate in the fourth quarter of 2020 with the targeted resumption of the FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers and the staging of the AFF Suzuki Cup.

According to Philippine Football Federation president Nonong Araneta, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is looking at October and November for the WCQ matches that were shelved due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“For the (postponed) World Cup Qualifiers games for March and June, I think it will be in the October (FIFA) windows and November. Yun ang advice ng AFC,” Araneta said in an interview on Radyo Pilipinas 2.

The Azkals have three pending matches in Group A, where they sit at third with seven points behind Syria (15) and China (7 but with higher goal difference) prior to play stoppage.

They will face Guam at home then China on the road before hosting Maldives.

If the WCQ pushes through, the PFF chief said the Asean Suzuki Cup will likely move its schedule toward December.

“The Suzuki Cup will start in November. So, kung magiging conflict sa World Cup Qualifiers, pinag-uusapan na at kung tuloy ang Suzuki Cup then we can schedule it in December and probably the finals will be in January,” said Araneta. “Those are the different scenarios right now,” he said. International football remains suspended at this point while the world deals with the deadly pandemic.

In South Korea, however, the top-flight K-League managed to start its 2020 season last Friday without spectators and with precautionary measures in the field.

As for the yet-to-open Philippines Football League, Araneta said it all depends on the government.

Araneta said the PFF has formed an ad hoc committee to discuss health issues and come up with safety protocols to be presented to authorities in case the ban on mass gathering is lifted.