Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 10) – After the stunning success of the Philippine women’s football team – which clinched the country’s first ever World Cup berth last month – it’s the turn of the national men’s under-23 squad to give pride to the nation.
Midfielders Oskari Kekkonen, Oliver Bias, and Dennis Chung will banner the Filipino booters who will compete in the ASEAN Football Federation U-23 Championship from Feb. 14 to 26 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) announced the lineup on Thursday.
The other national U-23 team mainstays fielded in the regional competition are goalkeepers Quincy Kammeraad, Jessie Semblante, and Enrico Mangoang; midfielders Sandro Reyes, Kieran Hayes, Nathan Rilloraza, and Jacob Maniti; defenders Miguel Mendoza and David Setters; and forward Ivan Ouano.
The players are part of the Philippine team that went winless in the Asian Football Confederation U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers last October.
Also returning in the Philippine U-23 team are Stallion Laguna forward Griffin McDaniel, Mendiola FC striker Mariano Suba Jr., United City forward Pocholo Bugas, forward Andres Aldeguer, midfielder Lance Ocampo, and defender Pete Forrosuelo.
Among the new additions to the 26-man Philippine side are Stallion Laguna defenders Gyles Encabo and Jayvee Kallukaran, Ateneo defender Elijah Liao, Dynamic Herb Cebu backliner Jaime Rosquillo, Erkskine University midfielder Jacob Pena, Northeastern State University recruit Scott Woods, and Spanish club CF Badalona standout Antoine Ortega.
Stewart Hall – who guided the Philippine Azkals in their last AFF Suzuki Cup campaign – will coach the national U-23 team in Cambodia.
The Philippine U-23 team held a closed circuit training camp at the PFF National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite in preparation for the regional meet.
The Philippines is in Group A of the tournament where they will battle Timor Leste on Feb. 14, host country Cambodia on Feb. 17, and Brunei Darussalam on Feb. 20.
