AFC Asian Cup 2019 qualifier: Azkals in Nepal

Kathmandu - This is a coverage of the Philippines match tomorrow against the Nepal team. A win tomorrow will usher the Azkals (116th in the FIFA rankings) to the final round of the 2019 Asian Cup in the UAE.

Earlier this year, the Filipino footballers beat the Nepalese, 4-1, in Manila. They are on top of Group F with eight points, as against Nepal's one. Should they lose before a very partisan Nepalese crowd under circumstances favourable to the home team (FIFA No. 176) the Azkals will have to hurdle Tajikistan (FIFA No. 123) in March.

For one, the weather is much cooler, ranging from the midterms to the low 20s (think Baguio in February). It's always around the 30s in the Philippines. It's a consolation that many of our players have lived in colder climates.

Food is another concern. Unless they have their own cooks, the Azkals will have to contend with Nepalese cuisine which is Indian-, Tibetan-, and Thai-influenced. As such, curry is used a lot, along with other spices.

The water, tea, coffee, soda, even beer may be unfamiliar. Fortunately the team has been here since Wednesday. Their guts should have adjusted by then.

 And the altitude.

Also, the Nepal cricket team just made history yesterday with an upset of powerhouse India in another Asia Cup, in Malaysia. Morale is on the side of their football squad.

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 This coverage is very personal, made possible by my wife's single mindedness and with the help of friends. I don't represent any newspaper or network. But I will be at the venue.

I won't find out till tomorrow who among the Filipino sportswriters will be at the All Nepal Football Association complex.

 This early, my thanks to Jimmy Domingo, my faculty colleague at La Salle, and his former students (at Ateneo) who are now journalists in Nepal. Bikash Karki and Kaushal Adhikari arranged with their friends/contacts at ANFA. This afternoon Bikash said I would get media accreditation. Now it just got serious.