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MANILA, Philippines – It will be another uphill climb for the Philippine Azkals U23 in the ASEAN Football Federation U23 Championship.
The Philippines got bunched with defending champion Vietnam and Laos in Group C following the draw on Monday, May 29, for the regional tournament set to run in Thailand from June 17 to 26.
A total of 10 teams will be vying for the title, with host and former champion Thailand looking to get the job done in Group A after back-to-back runner-up finishes in the past two editions.
The Azkals U23 have never made it past the group stage in AFF U23 Championship history, suffering early exits in 2005, 2019, and 2022.
Last year, the Philippines got the boot after finishing third in its group with one win, one loss, and one draw.
Breaking that dry spell will be a tall order for the Azkals U23 as Vietnam went unbeaten in its title run, while Laos shared the bronze with Timor Leste after their third-place match got cancelled.
Joining Thailand in Group A are Myanmar, Cambodia, and Brunei.
Newly crowned Southeast Asian Games champion Indonesia is in Group B with Malaysia and Timor Leste. – Rappler.com
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