Cebu City, Philippines — Jeremiah Borlongan, a prominent winger from Dynamic Herb Cebu Football Club, and Sandro Reyes, a talented former youth team player, have officially been integrated into the Philippine men’s national football team for the upcoming Merdeka Cup scheduled to take place in Malaysia this September.
The Philippine men’s national football team announced this development earlier this week, indicating that they are replacing Oskari Kekkonen and Jesse Curran, both of whom had to withdraw due to unforeseen circumstances. Despite these adjustments, the team has successfully secured capable substitutes in Borlongan and Reyes, both of whom possess valuable experience in international competitions.
Mr. Borlongan has been a frequent call-up to the national squad in recent years while playing in the Philippines Football League (PFL). He is recognized as one of the most durable defenders and a reliable winger for his club. His qualifications include participation in the U23 team during the 2017 Southeast Asian Games held in Cambodia, where he represented the Philippines alongside fellow University of the Philippines teammates Christian Lapas and Marco Casambre.
Mr. Reyes, who last competed as a midfielder for the Regionalliga Bayern club Greuther Fürth II, has also been an integral part of the Philippines youth teams, having contributed to the U16, U19, and U23 squads.
Borlongan and Reyes will join team captain Neil Etheridge and other notable players, including Patrick Deyto, Kevin Ray Mendoza, Patrick Reichelt, Amani Aguinaldo, Jarvey Gayoso, Simen Lyngbo, Jesper Nyholm, Jefferson Tabinas, Adrian Ugelvik, Scott Woods, Justin Baas, Zico Bailey, Matthew Baldisimo, Michael Baldisimo, Patrick Strauss, Dylan Demuynck, Bjorn Kristensen, and Alex Monis in this significant tournament.
Their opening match is set against the host nation, Malaysia, on September 4. The team will be under the guidance of interim coach Norman Fegidero following the recent resignation of Belgian head coach Tom Saintfiet.
This event is pivotal for the national team as they aim to showcase their talents on an international stage and continue their development in professional football.
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