Palestine and the Philippines are looking to make history when they clash in the AFC Challenge Cup final on Friday to book a place in next year`s Asian Cup in Australia.
|Last Updated: May 29, 2014, 10:45 AM IST|Source: AFP
Male: Palestine and the Philippines are looking to make history when they clash in the AFC Challenge Cup final on Friday to book a place in next year`s Asian Cup in Australia.
Neither team has ever played in the continent`s showpiece, adding extra edge to the title clash under lights at the national stadium in Male which earns the champions a journey down under.
Palestine upset fancied Afghanistan 2-0 and the Philippines ousted hosts Maldives 3-2 in extra-time in Tuesday`s semi-finals, leaving both the winning coaches excited.
Philippines coach Thomas Dooley said his team, ranked 140 in the world and 21st in Asia, were confident of facing the challenge successfully to show the world they belonged to a higher grade in football.
"We want to play at the next level, that is not a secret," said Dooley. "We came to the Maldives to win the Challenge Cup and are one step away from doing that.
"But our biggest goal is to step up and play with the big guys in the Asian Cup. When you play, and believe in it, you will be successful so that`s why we are going step-by-step.
"And right now the biggest thing we can do is prepare the team to write history."
Palestine coach Jamal Mahmoud said beating Afghanistan in the semi-finals had brought his team closer to realising their dream of performing on the big stage.
"It is not enough to be playing in the final, we have to win it too," said Mahmoud, whose 34th-ranked side in Asia have not conceded a goal in four games so far in the tournament.
The winners will join defending champions Japan, Jordan and Iraq in group D of the Asian Cup in January.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.