PFF appeals Azkals' suspension

Manila, Philippines - Still keeping its hope up that the suspension on Azkals Aly Borromeo and Stephan Schrock will be lifted for their July 23 match with Kuwait, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) made a renewed appeal to the International Football Federation (Fifa) through the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

This after Filipino officials got a letter from Fifa director of legal affairs Marco Villiger and head of disciplinary governance Marc Cavaliero, telling them that Fifa couldn’t act on appeal yet since it was filed by the PFF instead of a confederation, in this case, the AFC.

“According to Fifa, it should be the AFC that should make the appeal. So we already wrote the AFC, through general secretary Alex Soosay, to appeal on our behalf, and they said they will endorse it to the Fifa,” PFF president Nonong Araneta told The STAR yesterday.

“We’re keeping our fingers crossed (that the said penalties won’t be carried over in the second round against Kuwait),” Araneta added.

The PFF is asking the Fifa for consideration on the two cumulative yellow cards slapped on Borromeo and Schrock in the first round of the 2014 Fifa World Cup Asian Qualifiers against Sri Lanka. The subsequent one-game ban has left a huge hole in the Azkals’ midfield against second round rival Kuwait in their away leg on July 23.

“Kuwait isn’t subject to some risk of sanctions since they did not play in the first round like us. They would field an intact lineup and it would be fair for us if we’ll be able to field an intact lineup, too,” Araneta said.

While awaiting Fifa’s action on their appeal, Borromeo and the rest of Azkals left for Manama, Bahrain yesterday via Hong Kong for their final buildup for the Kuwait series.

The Azkals are scheduled to play two friendlies against Bahrain’s under-23 Olympic squad tonight at the National Stadium in Riffa and Monday night at the Muharraq Club stadium in Arad.

“Bahrain will be the ultimate test. We don’t have so much luxury of time, we’ll be going to Kuwait on 20th. We have to work on our game in general,” Azkals coach Michael Weiss said in a TV interview on the eve of their departure.

Olmin Leyba, Philippine Star