By Earl Victor Rosero with Renee Fopalan - GMA News
On the eve of the toughest match of the men's national football team, the Philippines saw its FIFA World Ranking slip three rungs to 162 from 159 based on the tally released on Wednesday.
The latest tally included the result of the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers (WCQ) match where the Philippines suffered a 3-0 defeat to Kuwait, which climbed seven notches to 95th from 102nd in the ranking. The highest ranking Kuwait ever reached was 24th in 1998.
A comparison of the rankings of Kuwait and the Philippines over the past six months showed the Al-Azraq on a slightly rising path while the Azkals slightly lost ground, while picking up 12 FIFA points.
The Philippines' current rank is also partly the result of gains other countries made in recent tournaments. Bahamas moved up 45 places to 152. Maldives, with a population of only about 300,000 is at 160. Mongolia rose 16 places to 163 and Aruba advanced 32 spots to 168.
Kuwait respects Azkals
Rick Olivares, media officer of the WCQ local organizing committee, who was in Kuwait to witness that away match at the Qadsia Club Stadium, said some fans of the Al-Azraq expected a much worse outcome, like a 10-0 win, against the Philippine team.
Goran Tefugdzic, coach of the Kuwait side, said at the pre-match news conference Wednesday at the Rizal stadium, that coming from Sunday's match he now has "respect for the Filipino team."
The Serbian coach had acknowledged back in Kuwait that the Philippine Azkals exploited gaps in the formation of the Al-Azraq in the early part of the Round 2 WCQ match.
Olivares added some of the respect Kuwaitis have for the Azkals is partly the result of the strong support Filipino expatriates showed at the Qadsia Stadium. He said that "conservatively" 65 percent of the some 26,000 people who packed the venue were Filipinos.
Olivares recalled the goosebumps he felt when those thousands of Filipinos sung the Philippine national anthem in unison.
Reality bites
Azkals coach Michael Weiss acknowledged that they were "punished" for some lapses against the more experienced Al-Azraq, but he promised that Thursday's second duel with Kuwait will be different with the return of team captain Aly Borromeo and midfielder Stephan Schrock.
Weiss expects Borromeo to give stability to the backline and Schrock to create opportunities with his "pro-active" offense. Schrock is a second division Bundesliga midfielder in Germany while Borromeo is a veteran member of the national team.
The German coach had glowing praise for Neil Etheridge although the ball went past him and into the goal three times. Weiss recalled Kuwait's "unusual" second goal and admitted that the Azkals were "tired" by the time the Al-Azraq dealt the third blow.
Weiss again appealed for understanding and said he is open to criticism, which he got a lot of during and after the away match in Kuwait.
He got some of it in the form of a question about whether he will consider sending in substitutes so fresh legs can match up against the Al-Azraq. Weiss said it will depend on how Thursday's match develops.
Weiss explained that it will take years for the Philippine team to reach the level Kuwait is at now. He assured that the Azkals' morale is high and "they get along very well."
Weiss has said whatever the outcome Thursday, the Azkals will prepare for more international matches in the months ahead.
The Azkals have never made it this far in a World Cup cycle while Kuwait has played in the main draw of the FIFA World Cup, qualifying in the 1982 edition in Spain.
The Azkals won their eight home games since 2006 while Kuwait has won its last eight matches.
Rain falls on Rizal stadium
"The main storm will be at kick-off," Azkals captain Aly Borromeo said alluding to the intensity the team intends to bring onto the pitch against Kuwait.
"I did take some notes," Borromeo said, referring to his having to sit at the grandstand to observe the away match because he had to serve the one-game suspension he got from Round 1 of the WCQ.
Borromeo said the perspective he got will certainly influence how he will play Thursday night.
The stormy weather that has battered Metro Manila has been one of the top-of-mind concerns of the competing teams, their fans and the media who will cover the Round 2 WCQ match.
Olivares said that the referee coordinator and the match commissioner will decide on the condition of the pitch. "If the match will be abandoned, it will be played the next day."
The Al-Azraq's coach discounted the weather factor. He said his team is familiar with downpours. "We have two to three months of rain in Kuwait," said Tefugdzic.
No more tickets, raincoat advisory
Olivares said no more tickets will be available because they are all sold out. Some fans said on Facebook said they will just watch the game on television.
For the lucky ones who got the coveted tickets, the WCQ local organizing committee stressed that "no umbrellas will be allowed inside" the stadium during the game.
To avoid getting drenched again, Olivares said spectators ought to bring raincoats when they troop to the Rizal stadium Thursday.
Last July 3, thousands of Azkals fans seated in the bleachers sections got soaked when passing dark clouds dumped rain during the match between national teams of the Philippines and Sri Lanka.
Both umbrellas and laser pens are on the list of banned items at football matches. The complete list is on the website of the PFF ticket retailer, TicketWorld.
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