THE Philippine men’s football team starts its campaign in the Merdeka Cup on Wednesday against host country Malaysia at the Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.
PMNT’s match against the host will be at 9 p.m. to begin the country’s first participation in the tournament since 1972.
The team is in a transition period on the top with Norman Fegidero elevated from assistant coach to interim coach, replacing Tom Saintfiet, who suddenly accepted a similar position with Mali.
Fegidero vowed to give the Malaysia team a good fight even with limited preparation under the new coaching staff.
“Our first training is today,” said Fegidero during the pre-match press conference on Tuesday. “My job is how to make this team competitive. It’s a unique situation but I believe in them.”
A change was made in the roster as well after midfielders Patrick Strauss and Zico Bailey were ruled out due to an injury, with the two replaced by Fil-Icelandic defender Kristofer Reyes and Davao Aguilas FC forward Uriel Dalapo.
PMNT skipper Neil Etheridge, and fellow goalkeepers Patrick Deyto and Kevin Ray Mendoza, defenders Amani Aguinaldo, Simen Lyngbo, Jesper Nyholm, Christian Rontini, Jefferson Tabinas, Paul Tabinas, and Scott Woods, midfielders Justin Baas, Matthew Baldisimo, Michael Baldisimo, and Sandro Reyes, and forwards Jeremiah Borlongan, Dylan Demuynck, Jarvey Gayoso, Bjorn Kristensen, Alex Monis, and Patrick Reichelt.
“We will give them a good fight. We want to win. We are all on the same page. They want to win for our fans,” said Fegidero, who became known for scoring the lone goal for the Philippines in the 1991 Southeast Asian Games against Malaysia at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
The winner of the battle between Southeast Asian sides will face the winner of the match between Lebanon and Tajikistan on Sunday. The loser will fight for third place, also on Sunday.
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