PH booters to join Merlion Cup 2019 in Singapore

By Kevin Sox

The Philippines will be sending a football squad to the revived Merlion Cup Invitational which shall be held in Singapore in June 2019.

Philippine Football Federation President Mariano ‘Nonong’ Araneta earlier stated that the Philippines would join the competition as part of their preparations for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games which the country shall be hosting.

They shall face off with Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore in the meet which was last held in 2009. It will be the eighth staging of the tournament, which started in 1982.

In that year, seven teams participated, including Australia, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, and the hosts.

There is no final roster yet for the Philippines, but U23 players like Michael Asong, Jessie Semblante, Jordan Jarvis, Major Ebarle, James Mansueto, Jose Miguel Clarino, Winces Balbino, Lawrence Baguio, Banjo Mahinay, William Grierson, Jeremiah Borlongan, Christian Lapas, Dylan de Bruycker, Kyle Magdato, Earl Laguerta, Mark Magtoto, Javier Gayoso, and Troy Limbo could all be in the running to make the final line-up.

The nation recently participated in the AFF U22 Youth Championship 2019 and the 2020 AFC U23 Championship qualification stages.