Source: ABS CBN NEWS
MANILA, Philippines – A comebacking Azkals player is expected to power the team against the Mongolian Blue Wolves in the AFC Challenge Cup second leg clash.
Fullback Ray "Iceman" Jonsson, returning from homeland Iceland, is reportedly on his way to Ulan Bator, Mongolia. He will be flying from Incheon, South Korea, as of posting time.
"[I'm] with Ray iceman Jonsson in Incheon airport. He's been moving around in diffrnt airports for the last 3 days," team manager Dan Palami said on his Twitter account.
"He is an Azkal, he won't break," Palami added.
Jonsson played with the Azkals in their 2-0 victory over the Blue Wolves in the Challenge Cup first leg last February.
The Filipino-Icelander has also played with the Azkals in the ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup last year.
The Azkals are rallying to beat or tie with the Blue Wolves to advance into the Challenge Cup group stage.
They earlier edged out the Blue Wolves, 2-0, in the home game which was held at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.
De Jong not playing
Meantime, the Azkals will also be losing another top gun, Jason de Jong, in the away game.
ABS-CBN News reporter Dyan Castillejo confirmed the report on her Twitter account, saying the Netherlands-based midfielder will not be able to make it to Ulan Bator because of a conflicted schedule with an Indonesian football club he is currently under contract with.
"De jong conflict sked because he now plays for an indonesian club," she said.
De Jong signed with Persiba Balikpapan, as earlier claimed by Post Metro Balikpapan Online news. He reportedly signed an $80,000 contract with the club.
Azkals top players Neil Etheridge and Christopher Greatwich also confirmed their respective withdrawals for the Mongolia match.
Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, who currently plays for Fulham in England as a reserve, lately has been loaned to the Charlton Athletic Football Club. He will be replaced by Eduard Sacapaño in the Ulan Bator game.
Greatwich, who has scored important goals in the Azkals’ successful games against Singapore and Vietnam in the 2010 Suzuki Cup, confirmed his unavailability because of his "work commitments" in the US.
He is reportedly coaching full-time in New Jersey.
The Philippines-Mongolia match will be shown LIVE March 15, 12 noon on Studio 23, with a replay at 7p.m. The match will also be shown 3 p.m. on BALLS SkyCable Ch. 34.
Fullback Ray "Iceman" Jonsson, returning from homeland Iceland, is reportedly on his way to Ulan Bator, Mongolia. He will be flying from Incheon, South Korea, as of posting time.
"[I'm] with Ray iceman Jonsson in Incheon airport. He's been moving around in diffrnt airports for the last 3 days," team manager Dan Palami said on his Twitter account.
"He is an Azkal, he won't break," Palami added.
Jonsson played with the Azkals in their 2-0 victory over the Blue Wolves in the Challenge Cup first leg last February.
The Filipino-Icelander has also played with the Azkals in the ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup last year.
The Azkals are rallying to beat or tie with the Blue Wolves to advance into the Challenge Cup group stage.
They earlier edged out the Blue Wolves, 2-0, in the home game which was held at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.
De Jong not playing
Meantime, the Azkals will also be losing another top gun, Jason de Jong, in the away game.
ABS-CBN News reporter Dyan Castillejo confirmed the report on her Twitter account, saying the Netherlands-based midfielder will not be able to make it to Ulan Bator because of a conflicted schedule with an Indonesian football club he is currently under contract with.
"De jong conflict sked because he now plays for an indonesian club," she said.
De Jong signed with Persiba Balikpapan, as earlier claimed by Post Metro Balikpapan Online news. He reportedly signed an $80,000 contract with the club.
Azkals top players Neil Etheridge and Christopher Greatwich also confirmed their respective withdrawals for the Mongolia match.
Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, who currently plays for Fulham in England as a reserve, lately has been loaned to the Charlton Athletic Football Club. He will be replaced by Eduard Sacapaño in the Ulan Bator game.
Greatwich, who has scored important goals in the Azkals’ successful games against Singapore and Vietnam in the 2010 Suzuki Cup, confirmed his unavailability because of his "work commitments" in the US.
He is reportedly coaching full-time in New Jersey.
The Philippines-Mongolia match will be shown LIVE March 15, 12 noon on Studio 23, with a replay at 7p.m. The match will also be shown 3 p.m. on BALLS SkyCable Ch. 34.
An askal is a Filipino term for any dog with no pedigree, no breed, no class. The askal is usually astray, unsupported and survives by feeding on whatever provision it can find. The Filipino national football team can relate to this mongrel, they have almost no support from a government thats suppose to support them, they are underdogs not just only to the world but even in their own region, South East Asia.
Name: Angel Guirado Aldeguer
Stephan Schröck - nicknamed "Schröcky", is a German–Filipino professional footballer who plays as a right back for 2nd Bundesliga club SpVgg Greuther Fürth.
