ABSENCE OF YOUNGHUSBAND WILL BE FELT

Philippines play Malaysia in the opening match and though the memory of a 4-1 hiding suffered by the Filipinos in the previous edition of this biennial tournament hangs heavily over the inevitable pre-match assessments, Caslib is quietly sanguine.

This despite the absence of Philip Younghusband, the rangy striker of English-Filipino extraction, whose six goals in the qualifiers in Bacolod City last November, was chiefly responsible for the Philippines breaking, at the expense essentially of rivals Cambodia, into the upper bracket of Asean football.

Philip is with Chelsea reserves but older brother James last month did not make the grade which caused him to become available for the national team that’s here for the Asean Football Championship.

Caslib stated the obvious that his team would have been stronger with Philip alongside but without him the coach still rated his team as the most formidable to have come out of his country in many years.

“Our target is two wins in this tournament,” he asserted.

When told that that goal would see Philippines through to the semi-finals from tough Group A, Caslib, who has been national coach for three years, did not flinch: “Yes, that (the semis) is our goal.”

In the absence of Philip, Ali Borromeo (pic) will be expected to carry much of the challenge alongside the Greatwich brothers Christopher and Philip.

A victory over Malaysia would reveal that expectation as threadbare while defeat would expose it as bravado.