Story & photos by Ronald Rey M. de los Reyes
FOR twenty years now, the AFF Championship, a biennial international association football competition organized by the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF), has been making rounds around Southeast Asia.
The prestigious tilt, now popularly known as the Suzuki Cup, lands right at our very own shores—making our country the neophyte host of the group that will stage together with Myanmar.
Highlighting its much-anticipated debut is the advent of the famed AFF Suzuki Cup Trophy, which made its way to SM North Edsa, The Block for public viewing to serve as the final stop of its regional tour.
“The AFF Suzuki Cup stirs the emotions of football fans across the region and we are, therefore, expecting a strong turnout of support when we take the trophy on the road,” said Lt. Gen. Dato’ Sri Azzuddin Ahmad, AFF general secretary.
“Everyone is eagerly awaiting the start of the AFF Suzuki Cup and so the Trophy Tour whets the appetite of fans in Southeast Asia for what promises to be one of the finest editions of the tournament,” he continued.
During the acclaimed trophy’s mall stopover, attendees were in for a whole day of fun and prizes as they joined on-site games and met with players from the Philippine Azkals—James Younghusband and Misagh Bahadoran.
Together with the AFF Suzuki Cup Trophy Tour, the tournament-inspired Suzuki Swift and the Japanese company’s lineup of high-caliber motorcycles were also on display.
“The Suzuki Swift being displayed here represents the brand’s sporty and active lifestyle appeal. It, therefore, carries the theme of the tournament,” affirmed Suzuki Philippines Inc. General Manager for Automobile Shuzo Hoshikura.
“I’m proud and excited that the Philippines will be hosting the Suzuki Cup in the group stages for the very first time,” he added.
Team Philippines is set to duel against teams from Group A: Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia during the group stage competitions.
Meanwhile, Group B includes countries from Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Defending champions Thailand and Indonesia will be kicking off the tournament on November 19 at the 20,000-capacity Philippine Sports Stadium located in Bocaue, Bulacan. The stadium has previously staged international matches, such as its well-known first full football match between the Philippines and Bahrain in June 2015 as part of the second round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, where our players ousted the competing team, 2-1, care of a Bahadoran and Javier Patiño kicks.
Our home heroes are scheduled to battle against four-time champion Singapore on the first day after a square off between teams Thailand and Indonesia in the afternoon.
The tournament group stages will be held from November 19 to 26 in Myanmar and the Philippines, where winners will advance to the semifinals and the clincher to be held from December 3 to 17 on a home-and-away basis.