Azkals-Kuwait opening game in peril?

source: mb.com.ph

MANILA, Philippines — The Kuwait Football Association (KFA) has threatened to pull out its national team from the 2014 World Cup qualifying tournament following a dispute with its government over funding, according to newspaper reports.

Quoting the non-English daily newspaper Al-Mustaqbal, the Arab Times reported Wednesday that KFA chairman Sheikh Talal Al-Fahd made the threat after the Kuwaiti government stopped supporting the association.

Reached for reaction, Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta said he doesn’t think the Kuwaitis will forfeit their match against the Azkals which starts on July 23 (July 24 in Manila) at the Qadisiya Sports Club in Hawally.

The second match is set five days later at the Rizal Memorial stadium.

The Azkals have set up training camp in Bahrain to prepare for their second round match against the Al-Azraq, Kuwait’s monicker.

Meanwhile, the International Football Federation (FIFA), football’s highest governing body, deferred action on the PFF’s appeal with regards to the suspension of Aly Borromeo and Stephan Schrock.

FIFA said it cannot act on the appeal without the endorsement of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)..

Borromeo, the Azkals skipper, and Fil-German Shrock, an important piece in the midfield, are barred from playing in the first leg against Kuwait after getting their second yellow cards during home match against Sri Lanka in the first round nearly two weeks ago.

Two yellow cards merit automatic suspension.

The AFC had earlier told the PFF to lodge the appeal before the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.

But FIFA, in a letter signed by Mark Caballero, head of the Discipline and Governance Committee, said the appeal should come from the governing confederation.

“What we’ll try to do is write AFC again, and hopefully we can get their endorsement,” Araneta said.

Unlike the Azkals who had to overcome Sri Lanka in the first round, Al-Azraq, a Middle East power is seeded in the second round.

Azkals coach Michael Weiss admits the team will be a heavy underdog, but promised to pull off an upset against the 10-time Gulf Cup champions who made it to the World Cup finals in 1982.

source: mb.com.ph