Four players who suited up for the Philippine Azkals in the World Cup/Asian Cup Qualifiers lead the 23-man roster of the national U-23 squad for the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers which starts next week in Singapore.
Midfielders Oliver Bias and Mark Winhoffer, defender Justin Baas and goalkeeper Quincy Kammeraad will take part in the qualifiers slated Oct. 25 to 31 at the Jalan Besar Stadium where the Philippines need to at least be one of the four best second placers.
Coach Scott Cooper’s side is in Group H alongside South Korea, host Singapore and Timor-Leste.
Other players on the squad list are strikers Jens Sebastian Rasmussen, Marcel Ivan Ouano, Miguel Antonio Mendoza and Kieran Hayes and midfielders Dennis Chung, Yrick Gallantes, Sandro Reyes, Jethro Borlongan, Mandy Lloyd Ignacio, Oskari Johannes Kekkonnen, Jacob Francis Maniti, Nathan Rilloraza, Mark Francis Swaiston and Shanden Vergara.
Paolo Nicola Perez, Christian Rontini and David Kevin Setters are among the defenders while goalkeepers Enrico Mangaoang and Jessie Reil Semblante round out the lineup.
The Young Azkals open their campaign on Oct. 25 against Singapore at 5 p.m. before facing Singapore on Oct. 28 at 8 p.m. and Timor-Leste on Halloween at 5 p.m.
The 11 group winners plus the four best second placers will qualify for the 2022 U-23 Asian Cup slated June 1 to 19 in Uzbekistan.
The Philippines has never competed in the short history of the event which has been held four times.
Preparation for the qualifiers began last month at the Aboitiz Pitch in Lipa City, Batangas under a closed-circuit setup and before setting up a training camp in Doha, Qatar.