by Peter Atencio - Manila Standard Today
THE Philippine Azkals lost to the Bahrain national under-23 team, 1-3, in a friendly match before more than 12,000 fans at the Muharraq Club stadium Monday evening in Arad, Bahrain.
Despite the loss, national team manager Dan Palami said the game gave the Azkals added experience and a glimpse of how football is played in the Middle East.
“It is our first time in this part of the world. We didn’t know what to expect, but after a few days here, I’d like to say this was one of the better organized camps that we’ve had,” said Palami in an interview with the Gulf Daily News of Bahrain.
It was the Azkals’ second loss to the Bahrainis. Last Saturday, the Azkals put up a brave stand before at least 5,000 overseas Filipino workers from the gulf, but still lost, 1-2, to the same squad at the national stadium in Riffa.
The Filipino fans were back in full force on Sunday, but the Bahrainis proved their superiority by scoring three goals within an eight-minute stretch in the first half.
The Gulf News report indicated that substitute Ahmed Juma’a opened Bahrain’s assault in the 36h minute with a brilliant header off a corner kick.
Juma’a’s kick went past the Philippine defense and sent the ball into the net past Azkals’ goalkeeper Eduard Sacapano, who took the place of an absent Neil Etheridge.
Hisham Mansoor then added to the hosts’ advantage five minutes left. Unguarded at the right edge of the box, Mansoor rifled in a blast into the top-right corner of the net.
Then, it was the Azkals’ turn to score in the closing minute of the first half, with co-captain Emelio Caligdong heading home off a Manuel Ott cross.
Caligdong came in from the left side, where he sent the ball over the head of Bahrain goalkeeper Ashraf Al Sebaie and into the right of goal.
Sayed Dhiya Saeed sank the last goal for Bahrain after receiving the ball just outside the 18-yard box, after rounding past a charging Sacapano.
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