Brunei: Bring on the champions
Saturday, May 17, 2008
UNDAUNTED by the task at hand, the manager of the national football team yesterday stated that he was optimistic about beating defending champions Tajikistan in this afternoon's Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup qualifying match.
Slated to kick off at 3.30pm at the Iloilo Sports Complex in Iloilo City, the Philippines, Redzuan Abdullah said that the team had an equal chance of winning the match and possibly qualifying for the tournament to be held in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad from July 30 to Aug 10.
"They might be a strong side, but I feel we have a 50-50 chance and we are targeting a win," said Redzuan when contacted yesterday.
"We will stick to our 4-4-2 formation and I think the coach (South Korean Kwon Oh Son) is thinking of exploiting the flanks against the Tajiks.
"Their players are tall so it will be hard to challenge them in the air, so we hope to use through balls and set-pieces to our advantage," added the manager.
Tajikistan are ranked 146 in the world and Brunei are at 197, but the gap in ranking does not faze Redzuan.
He said the team's confidence was boosted by their 1-1 draw against Bhutan on Thursday, a result which combined with the Philippines and Tajikistan's goalless stalemate on the same day meant that all four teams in the group had an equal chance of playing in India.
Sixteen teams were divided into four groups and only the group winners earn the right to play in India, with Brunei drawn with titleholders Tajikistan, hosts the Philippines and Bhutan in Group B.
"The draw meant that we had a chance to make it to India if we beat Tajikistan and that has boosted our confidence tremendously," stated Redzuan.
"But even if we win, we aren't guaranteed of qualifying because we have to look at the result of the Philippines-Bhutan match, which will be played at the same time," added the manager.
The Philippines-Bhutan game will be contested at the Barotac Nuevo Football Plaza in Iloilo City at the same time and the hosts are tied with Tajikistan on points, but second in the group because of a poorer goal difference.
Depending on the game's score line, a win for the Philippines might book their berth in the tournament proper.
Brunei's first game was against the Philippines on Tuesday where they fell 1-0 to the hosts.The Brunei Times
Slated to kick off at 3.30pm at the Iloilo Sports Complex in Iloilo City, the Philippines, Redzuan Abdullah said that the team had an equal chance of winning the match and possibly qualifying for the tournament to be held in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad from July 30 to Aug 10.
"They might be a strong side, but I feel we have a 50-50 chance and we are targeting a win," said Redzuan when contacted yesterday.
"We will stick to our 4-4-2 formation and I think the coach (South Korean Kwon Oh Son) is thinking of exploiting the flanks against the Tajiks.
"Their players are tall so it will be hard to challenge them in the air, so we hope to use through balls and set-pieces to our advantage," added the manager.
Tajikistan are ranked 146 in the world and Brunei are at 197, but the gap in ranking does not faze Redzuan.
He said the team's confidence was boosted by their 1-1 draw against Bhutan on Thursday, a result which combined with the Philippines and Tajikistan's goalless stalemate on the same day meant that all four teams in the group had an equal chance of playing in India.
Sixteen teams were divided into four groups and only the group winners earn the right to play in India, with Brunei drawn with titleholders Tajikistan, hosts the Philippines and Bhutan in Group B.
"The draw meant that we had a chance to make it to India if we beat Tajikistan and that has boosted our confidence tremendously," stated Redzuan.
"But even if we win, we aren't guaranteed of qualifying because we have to look at the result of the Philippines-Bhutan match, which will be played at the same time," added the manager.
The Philippines-Bhutan game will be contested at the Barotac Nuevo Football Plaza in Iloilo City at the same time and the hosts are tied with Tajikistan on points, but second in the group because of a poorer goal difference.
Depending on the game's score line, a win for the Philippines might book their berth in the tournament proper.
Brunei's first game was against the Philippines on Tuesday where they fell 1-0 to the hosts.The Brunei Times
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