MANILA -- The Philippine Azkals climbed the FIFA men's ladder while in the thick of the AFF Suzuki Cup competition.

From 124th, the Philippines now ranks 117th in the world according to the latest FIFA men's list.

The Azkals' all-time best placing was at 115th last May.

The Filipinos made the jump following their 1-0 win over then higher-ranked Kyrgyzstan during their friendly match early this month.

Kyrgyzstan, meanwhile, plummeted to 124th place from their previous ranking of 99.

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The Azkals are set to face Thailand in the continuing quest to win the AFF Suzuki Cup.

Thailand, the defending champion, is ranked 129th.

The Thais are currently leading Group A of the competition with six points on two victories. The Philippines is at a distant second with two points on two draws, followed by Indonesia and Singapore with one point each.

The Azkals will need to win against Thailand to finish in the top two and advance to the semifinal round of the Cup for the fourth time.

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