THE newly revamped Philippines Azkals national men’s football team are playing better and learning how to finish games.
National coach Thomas Dooley said this after the Azkals played to another scoreless draw in their friendly match with Malaysia on Wednesday night at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
“All teams that we played are getting better. I think we had more chances in the beginning of the game. We played better this time than the last time,” said Dooley.
It was the Azkals’ fifth draw in five years in their series of friendly matches with Malaysia.
The game is supposed to prepare the Azkals for the coming third qualifying round of the 2019 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup football tournament.
The Azkals are bracketed in Group F with Nepal, whom they will play against on Tuesday next week.
Also in the same bracket are Tajikistan and Yemen. The top two teams in their series of home and away games will make it to the tournament proper.
Both teams have their share of their good chances to score in the first half, but it was the Azkals who had more shots that went on target.
Skipper Phil Younghusband could have provided the Azkals the early lead in the 20th minute, but his right-footed blast was saved by goalie Khairulazhan Khalid.
Malaysia banked on their quick wingers with Safee Sali leading the attack. But they came up empty-handed.
The Azkals had one last chance in the second half, but Fitch Arboleda’s assault went wide to the left.
This time time, they played without goalkeeper Ronald Muller, who recently retired.
Muller, who has been around since 2011, left the national squad after playing 22 international games, mostly as an alternate to Neil Etheridge.