The extremely popular Philippine national soccer team known as the ?Azkals? is coming to the Midwest in August. The Azkals will play in a series of “international friendlies” against the Chicago Inferno of USL (United Soccer Leagues) and the U.S. Virgin Islands National Team in an event dubbed as the P/E Capital Investments Invitational Cup.
The Azkals will play the Chicago Inferno at Wheaton?s Joe Bean stadium on August 11, while the U.S. Virgin Islands, nicknamed ?The Dashing Eagle,? take on the Inferno on August 14 in the same venue. Both games kick-off at 7:30 p.m. The Azkals and the US Virgin Islands National team will then head out to Indianapolis at the Kuntz Stadium to complete the 3-team round-robin. View slideshow: TeamPic
The Azkals, which plays in the Asian Football Confederation, is using the U.S. training camp and friendly matches as preparation for November?s ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup, which will be co-hosted by Malaysia and Thailand. The Azkals reached the semifinals of the last Suzuki Cup in 2010.
Azkals vs. USVI poster Photo credit: P/E Capital Investments
Among the regular standouts for manager Dan Palami?s team are brothers James and Phil Younghusband, two of the nation?s most popular sportsmen, and goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, who plays professionally for Fulham of the English Premier League.
The games will also give fans a glimpse of 19-year-old half-Filipino soccer phenom Josh Bone, who hopes to land a spot on the Azkals. Bone will be suiting up for the Chicago Inferno during the friendlies. (More on Josh Bone to follow)
?It?s such an honor for our first-year club to host these friendlies against two up-and-coming soccer nations,? said Chicago Inferno President Todd Short, whose company Soccer Specific Development, LLC owns the Inferno franchise and is the exclusive U.S. promoter of the two national teams.
?The matches give the Inferno a chance to play two competitive games, while increasing the visibility of the Inferno brand well beyond the Chicagoland area. P/E Capital Investments, a wealth management firm based in Chicago is also instrumental in bringing the two national teams together. Eliseo Jojo Prisno, CRPC; Managing Director & Senior Investment Advisor of the firm, a soccer aficionado himself is elated that the Philippine Football Federation chose Chicago as its launching pad for the ?Azkals? in the US.
?I?m a big supporter of our local USL franchise the Chicago Inferno and a huge fan of the Azkals being Filipino, having them both in one soccer fest, this to me is my personal World Cup,? Prisno said.
?These events fall in line with our commitment to bringing entertaining and affordable amateur soccer to the area. We look forward to the atmosphere that will be generated when Inferno fans, fans of these two countries and members of the local soccer community come together in celebration of the Global Game.?
The U.S. Virgin Islands, which competes in CONCACAF, the same confederation as the United States and Mexico, is co-managed by Carlton Freeman and Terrence Jones.
Tickets for Chicago Inferno vs. Philippines and Philippines vs. U.S. Virgin Islands matches are $25, while tickets Chicago Inferno vs. U.S. Virgin Islands cost $20. Tickets are available on the Chicago Inferno web site at www.infernosc.com.
