Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Philippines National Team: Friendly...or Dogfight?

Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy continue their Asia Pacific Tour 2011 when they take on the Philippines National Team on Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.

The Galaxy, the 2011 Major League Soccer Supporters Shield and Cup holders, are coming off a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Indonesian Select XI in Jakarta, and Arena is keen to give the young players a chance to audition for next season.

Led by Landon Donovan, David Beckham and Robbie Keane, the Galaxy are hoping to improve on a performance which saw numerous chances to impose their will, but only one goal to show for it.

Players like Emelio "Chieffy" Caligdong, James and Phil Younghusband, Rob Gier, Ian Araneta and Chris Greatwich head the lineup for the Azkals, who will be without a number of players due to European commitments.

The Philippines national team, who were eliminated by Kuwait in the second round of FIFA World Cup Qualifying in the Asian region, will be bolstered by a number of Under-23 players, some who are making their debut against the Galaxy.

"This international recognition of football’s resurgence in our country connects us further with the wider global community of football fans and enthusiasts," said national team manager Dan Palami to Bong Pedralvez of Malaya Business Insight. "[Saturday's match] will firm up the foundations that have been laid this year and generate even more support and more important, participation in the game in the Philippines.

"This will be a necessary step in attracting a wider base of players from which we could select fresh talent for our national teams."

Phil Younghusband, who used to play for Chelsea's youth academy, welcomes the Galaxy visiting Manila.

"It's good exposure for the Azkals, not only locally but internationally and it'll be a good experience for the team," Younghusband told Andrew Slevison of Tribalfootball. "[David Beckham] was one of my, my biggest idols, football idols, ever since I was seven or eight years old.

"To get the chance to play with him, knowing that he's coming to the end of his career, it's a dream come true for me.”

Among the players that will be sitting out the match due to other commitments include goalkeepers Neil Etheridge and Roland Muller, according to Tempo. That will give local products like Edward Sacapano and Paolo Pascual a chance to contain the lethal attack that the Galaxy bring to the table.

There is one issue that could take the luster off the so-called "dream match."

High prices for tickets, ranging from P2,000 to P15,000, have driven away would-be spectators to the match, even though Rizal only seats under 13,000, according to PhilSTAR.com. Not only that, according to Jonas Terrado of the Manila Bulletin, prices for the training session are also high, ranging from P1,500 to P3,000.

Regardless of turnout, the Azkals are expected to give Los Angeles a test, as with their match against the Indonesian selection.

Prediction:
Los Angeles must improve on their finishing, while the young players need to step their game up against the home side. As for the Philippines, they are team capable of producing one of the biggest shock results of the year, in spite of this being a friendly.

The Galaxy will take this one en route to a destination that has been unfriendly to them as of late: Australia.

Los Angeles Galaxy 2, Philippines 0
Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 a.m. PT/6:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by Fox Soccer Channel.