The Philippines’ national football team has been drawn into Group F of the third round of the 2019 Asian Cup Qualifiers.
The Azkals, who are ranked 122nd in the world by FIFA, get to enjoy an advantage in rankings, as they are joined in Group F by Tajikistan (FIFA Ranked 132nd), Yemen (FIFA Ranked 149th), and Nepal (FIFA Ranked 175th), reported ABS-CBN News.
The top-two teams from each group after a home-and-away round robin format will qualify for the 2019 Asian Cup, the report said.
The Azkals will take on Nepal to kick things off for Group F on March 28.
The last time that the Azkals and Nepal met was back in a 2014 Friendly, with the Pinoy side winning 3-0, said the news portal.
The Yemeni team on the other hand, is a more recent opponent for the Azkals, as they crossed paths twice during the World Cup Qualifiers in 2015, with the two sides getting one win each.
The Azkals and Tajikistan had met in the group stages of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup, which resulted in a 3-1 win for the Pinoy side.
The Azkals clinched their spot in the third round of the 2019 Asian Cup Qualifiers after finishing third in their group in the World Cup Qualifiers, reported ABS-CBN News.
They’ll be looking to bounce back after a disappointing AFF Suzuki Cup campaign last year, wherein they failed to make the semifinals after three-straight appearances, the report said.
