Philippines get Etheridge boost for Yemen tie
Tuesday 29th August 2017
Philippines will welcome back star goalkeeper Neil Etheridge for next Tuesday’s crucial 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Yemen at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod.
Earlier in the summer, Etheridge completed a move to English Championship outfit Cardiff City and has played a pivotal role in their excellent start to the 2017/18 campaign.
The Bluebirds are currently top of the table with five wins from their opening five matches, and Etheridge has only conceded twice thus far after being immediately installed as manager Neil Warnock’s first-choice between the sticks.
Having missed Philippines’ previous Asian Cup qualifier – June’s 4-3 win at Tajikistan – as he opted to focus on settling in at his new club, Etheridge’s return will be a huge boost for the Azkals as they look to move one step closer to qualifying for the 2019 Asian Cup in United Arab Emirates.
Nonetheless, it appears that Philippines coach Thomas Dooley will no longer be able to call on the services of playmaker Stephan Schrock, who appeared to announce his retirement from international football on social media.
Philippines are currently top of Group F with six points from two games and another victory next Tuesday over their nearest challengers would put them firmly in contention.
It is no surprise that, with a crucial three points up for grabs, Dooley has named a formidable 23-man squad for the upcoming tie.
Apart from Etheridge, there are three other foreign-based players in the side: Wolfsberger AC defender Stephan Palla, Hansa Rostock’s Harry Foll and Mike Ott, who currently plies his trade in Thailand for Angthong.
There is also plenty of quality hailing from the Philippines Football League with Phil Younghusband, Manny Ott and Iain Ramsay expected to play key roles.
Dooley will, however, be without a handful of key players with Henan Jianye marksman Javier Patino and Global Cebu centre-back Amani Aguinaldo both missing through injury, while left-back Daisuke Sato – who plies his trade in the Romanian top flight with Politehnica Iasi – is suspended.
Goalkeepers: Patrick Deyto (Global Cebu), Neil Etheridge (Cardiff City), Nick O’Donnell (Davao Aguilas)
Defenders: Carli de Murga, Joshua Grommen, Junior Munoz (all Ceres Negros), Tyler Matas (Meralco Manila), Stephan Palla (Wolfsberger AC), Simone Rota (Davao Aguilas)
Midfielders: Harry Foll (Hansa Rostock), Kevin Ingreso, Manny Ott, Iain Ramsay, Luke Woodland (all Ceres Negros), Hikaru Minegishi, Paul Mulders, Dennis Villanueva (all Global Cebu), Dylan de Bruycker, James Younghusband (both Davao Aguilas)
Forwards: Misagh Bahadoran (Global Cebu), Mike Ott (Angthong), Patrick Reichelt (Ceres Negros), Phil Younghusband (Meralco Manila)
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