MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Azkals revealed their 23-man lineup for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, and it doesn’t include star goalkeeper Neil Etheridge. 

Etheridge, who plays for Cardiff City in the Premier League, won’t be seeing action at all as the Filipinos debut in the quadrennial meet against South Korea on January 7 in UAE. 

Instead, it will be Michael Falkesgaard, Kevin Ray Mendoza Hansen, and Nathanael Ace Villanueva who will be the Philippines’ last line of defense. (READ: Falkesgaard, Mendoza to step up for Etheridge in 2019 Asian Cup)

Phil Younghusband, Patrick Reichelt, Jovin Bedic, Iain Ramsay, Curt Dizon and the returning Javier Patino – who missed the AFF Suzuki Cup due to a calf injury – make up the team’s forwards. 

Meanwhile, Stephan Schrock, James Younghusband, Manuel Ott, Mike Ott, Kevin Ingreso, John-Patrick Strauss and Miguel Javier Tanton form the squad’s bevy of midfielders. 

Carli de Murga, Daisuke Sato, Adam Tull, Paul Mulders, Stephan Palla, Alvaro Silva and Luke Woodland, who recovered from a foot injury he sustained in the Suzuki Cup, make up the Azkals’ defenders. 

After South Korea, the Philippines will clash with China and Kyrgyztan on January 11 and 16, respectively. – Rappler.com