VETERAN defender Amani Aguinaldo and versatile midfielder Sandro Reyes, both national men’s football team mainstays, were named to the Asean All-Stars who will battle celebrated English Club Manchester United tomorrow in a friendly match at the Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Aguinaldo, 30, and Reyes, 20, will be part of the crack Southeast Asian selection mentored by South Korean Kim Sang-sik, who steered Vietnam to victory in the Mitsubishi Electric Cup last December.
“It’s a big honor for me personally, but first I have to thank the entire team and staff, as I’m not able to perform without all of them, so each person deserves this as much as I do,” said Reyes, who now plays for German club Gütersloh.
“It’s the culmination of a lot of hard work not just this whole season but also over the last year, too. To be able to end the season in a fun game like this feels like a nice reward,” added the midfield maestro.
“Even though it’s just a friendly, it’s still Manchester United, so I hope it could inspire a lot of kids in the country to see that it’s possible to have success in this sport and be on the same field as the best players in the world,” added Reyes in going up against the Reds, three-time European and 20-time Premier League champions.
“I’m happy and grateful to be selected and to be given such a great opportunity,” echoed Aguinaldo, who suits up for Rayong in the Thai League 1.
Both players have played pivotal roles for the charges of Spanish tactician Albert Capella, who steered them to an unexpected yet sensational semifinal finish in the Mitsubishi Electric Cup, marked by a 2-1 upset of Thailand in the semifinal first leg last Dec. 27 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
They will be back in harness for the Nationals, who will gun for their second straight win in Group A of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers against a formidable Tajikistan side on June 10 at the New Clark City Athletic Stadium in Capas, Tarlac.
The Philippines opened its campaign in the group by whipping Maldives 4-1 to pick up its first win in the group last March 25 at the same arena.
