The chances of the Philippine men’s football team retaining the Peace Cup title will be known on Sunday when tormentor Chinese-Taipei battles Pakistan at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.
The Taiwanese stunned the fancied Azkals, 2-1, on Friday night that put the visitors on top of the leaderboard of the three-team tournament with three points.
And a draw or a victory for the Taiwanese in the 4 p.m. kickoff against the Pakistanis puts the Filipino booters’ dreams into tatters, while a loss keeps them in the hunt.
In case Chinese Taipei loses, the Azkals would also have to score a lopsided victory over the Pakistanis in the final day of the tournament on Tuesday to retain the crown they bagged last year for their first international title in almost a century.
The Taiwanese will once again lean on Li Mao and Lin Chang-lun, who both scored against the Azkals on Friday night.
On paper, Pakistan, which makes its debut in the tournament, is stronger than Chinese Taipei as it is placed five places higher in the Fifa rankings.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
