By Sid Ventura | Sportsaholic
It's official: David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane and the rest of Major League Soccer's L.A. Galaxy will square off against Phil Younghusband, Chieffy Caligdong, James Younghusband and the other Philippine Azkals in an exhibition match on December 3 at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.
This, after the formal contract signing between Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Mariano "Nonong" Araneta and Galaxy president Thomas Payne took place earlier today at a press conference in Makati.
The match will be the second leg of the Galaxy's tour of Asia and Australia, coming after a still-to-be-determined fixture on November 30 and preceding the finale in Melbourne on December 5. It will be the first time a professional football club of this stature will play the national side since Cruzeiro of Brazil came over in the 1970s.
It's also the first time a football icon like Beckham will play in front of local fans, with Payne confirming that the British superstar is indeed joining the team here.
"Yes, the full team will be here," Payne said. "We understand what this is about. We understand we have some famous players, one in particular, and our entire team will be on the field as they always are."
The Galaxy topped the just-concluded MLS regular season, and will have homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, which begin this weekend. The playoffs are scheduled to end on November 20, leaving the team plenty of time to prepare for their Asian tour.
"We organized everything in hopes that we're gonna win a championship," Payne explained, "so we're not traveling till after the MLS Cup, which is our championship, and that's November 20th. It's actually at our stadium, so we have homefield advantage."
While Beckham will no doubt be the main attraction, he isn't the only star in this particular Galaxy. There's US skipper Donovan, whom Payne described as "the best American player that ever lived. He's the biggest goal scorer in the history of the United States. He's the best player on the national team for the past 12 years. When he's going, he's tough to stop."
There's also Keane, the all-time leading scorer of Ireland and one of the top ten scorers in the history of the English Premier League. Payne is also enamored of his young midfielder Juninho. "He's a 22-year-old Brazilian who came through the Sao Paolo system. He's a really fabulous player as well."
The dream match will provide a fitting end to what has been a fabulous year for Philippine football, and will come almost a year to the day the Azkals shocked heavily-favored Vietnam 2-0 in the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup, the result that triggered the sport's revival in the local scene. And what better way to carry the momentum into next year than by bringing over one of the most popular football players of all time.
"I think it's gonna be wonderful," Payne said. "Part of what we do on these tours is we're trying to help promote the sport that I'm passionate about and what David's passionate about, and going into a market like this, which is going football-crazy from what I understand, and the coach and the federation is having a good run of it. So I think putting on a game that brings that kind of PR and media to an event like this can only be good for the sport."
"Of course, it's a big match for us to end the season and end the year with the LA Galaxy playing here," Araneta added. "What more can you ask for? We hope that it will be very successful, and we hope that this won't be their last visit here."
Azkals team manager Dan Palami said he has contacted the Europe-based players to inquire about their availability in hopes of putting together the most competitive team possible.
"We've sent out invitations already to our professional players abroad, and I think some of them have responded," Palami said. "But after this press conference, we will get in touch with them to make sure their attendance will be ensured."
So far, Palami said Ray Jonsson has confirmed his participation, along with Fil-Danish players Jerry Lucena and Dennis Caraga. Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge has sent word he might be free, while Stephan Schrock has not yet replied.
"We thought that convincing win against Nepal was good enough, but here we are served with an early Christmas bonus to have a chance to play against a team like the LA Galaxy," Palami said. "And I'm sure it's not just David Beckham. I've received a lot of e-mails inquiring about Donovan and Robbie Keane."
Payne actually flew in to inspect the venue first, and obviously he was satisfied with what he saw.
"It was wonderful," he said of the Rizal Stadium. "It was probably more than what we expected, to be honest. The stadium was great. We look forward to playing in a smaller venue. We've done some of these games all around the world and played in front of 80, 90,000 people. So we're really looking forward to playing in front of a crowd that's gonna be really close to the action. And I think it's gonna be a really memorable night for this community and the sport of soccer and for our club as well as the Philippine National Team."
The Galaxy will fly in on December 1, which will give them enough time to conduct a clinic for underprivileged kids of the Bantay Bata Foundation. The clinic will be hled on December 2 from 2 to 4PM at the Rizal Stadium.
"A big part of what we try and do on these tours is leave something behind," Payne said. "And you'll find out soon that we'll make sure we're doing something for kids in the community. At the end of the day we want kids to have something look forward to and look up to."
The Galaxy president said he was informed last week about that rumor going around in the Philippines about the match, even though nothing had been finalized yet.
"We hadn't announced anything, obviously, about a game, and I get an email from all of my digital people in my office saying there's a rumor that the Galaxy are coming and it's the top trending topic in all of the Philippines. It's pretty amazing. It shows the passion for the sport and for our team and I'm sure for David Beckham as well."
Meanwhile, organizers said tickets will most likely go on sale the first week of November once they have finalized the pricing.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Young Azkals lean on De Jong's leadership experience
By Olmin Leyba (The Philippine Star)
MANILA, Philippines - Fil-Dutch midfielder Jason de Jong is adjusting to his new role as one of the leaders of the Philippine Under-23 side set to do battle in the 26th Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia.
De Jong, 21, is among the most experienced member of the crew composed mostly of 19 and 20-year-olds, having played for the senior Azkals team in big-time competitions like the Fifa World Cup Qualifiers.
“For me, it’s a new thing; I’m curious of what’s gonna happen,” said the tattooed de Jong, known for his physical defending and hard tackles.
“It’s the first time I’m one of the seniors and I have to help other (younger) players; normally, the other players are helping me when I’m with the senior Azkals. Hopefully, we’ll get good results in Indonesia.”
De Jong rejoined the SEAG pool last Wednesday after playing a game with FC Dordrecht, a second division club in Holland, early in the week. He suited up for Phl U-23 when it nipped Chieffy Caligdong and Phl Air Force, 4-2, in a tune-up at Rizal Stadium Thursday.
“Not everyone is here yet,” he said in assessment of the team, which is still expecting the arrival of the other Europe-based players either in next week’s camp in Gotemba, Japan or a few days before the start of SEAG competitions on Nov. 3.
“Okay there’s some lack of communication in our game against Air Force but then again we won the game, good result. We have to get good results in tuneup games in Japan as well and then we will look ahead.”
Phl XI is competing for the first time since hosting the SEAG in 2005, hoping to draw momentum from the progress achieved by the Azkals in gunning for a medal.
“Target is to get a medal, of course. Going there to see what’s gonna happen is not a good idea; we should have a goal and that goal should be at least a medal,” said De Jong.
MANILA, Philippines - Fil-Dutch midfielder Jason de Jong is adjusting to his new role as one of the leaders of the Philippine Under-23 side set to do battle in the 26th Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia.
De Jong, 21, is among the most experienced member of the crew composed mostly of 19 and 20-year-olds, having played for the senior Azkals team in big-time competitions like the Fifa World Cup Qualifiers.
“For me, it’s a new thing; I’m curious of what’s gonna happen,” said the tattooed de Jong, known for his physical defending and hard tackles.
“It’s the first time I’m one of the seniors and I have to help other (younger) players; normally, the other players are helping me when I’m with the senior Azkals. Hopefully, we’ll get good results in Indonesia.”
De Jong rejoined the SEAG pool last Wednesday after playing a game with FC Dordrecht, a second division club in Holland, early in the week. He suited up for Phl U-23 when it nipped Chieffy Caligdong and Phl Air Force, 4-2, in a tune-up at Rizal Stadium Thursday.
“Not everyone is here yet,” he said in assessment of the team, which is still expecting the arrival of the other Europe-based players either in next week’s camp in Gotemba, Japan or a few days before the start of SEAG competitions on Nov. 3.
“Okay there’s some lack of communication in our game against Air Force but then again we won the game, good result. We have to get good results in tuneup games in Japan as well and then we will look ahead.”
Phl XI is competing for the first time since hosting the SEAG in 2005, hoping to draw momentum from the progress achieved by the Azkals in gunning for a medal.
“Target is to get a medal, of course. Going there to see what’s gonna happen is not a good idea; we should have a goal and that goal should be at least a medal,” said De Jong.
Junior Azkals leave for Japan camp
By Cheska D. Geli : Sun Star Cebu
IN ORDER to boost its chances in the Southeast Asian Games, the Philippine Under-23 team will leave tomorrow for a weeklong training camp in Japan.
The team will stay at Gotemba City where they will hold training sessions at the foot of Mount Fuji. Two of their scheduled tune-up games are against a local 18-Under team and another local club.
In the last three days of training, the team will move to Tokyo to watch the championship game of the J-League, the premier football league in Japan, and to play their final exhibition match.
“I believe that the Japan camp will make us strong,” said Paolo Pascual, who will be the team’s goalie in Japan practice matches.
The team has concluded its training at the Rizal Stadium, where they usually hold conditioning exercises in the morning and scrimmages in the afternoon.
“It was a good and tough training,” said Pascual.
The team had its first exhibition game against the Philippine Air Force where they had a 4-2 win with Jingoy Valmayor’s two goals and David Basa’s successful attempt.
The team had a more convincing win in their second friendly against the Laos FC, 9-1, with Valmayor and Mark Hartman sharing three goals each. Romeo Martinez and OJ Clarino chipped in a goal, while Laos also had an own goal.
But despite the team’s wins, head coach Michael Weiss wasn’t satisfied with the team’s performance.
“The coach said there are a lot of things to work on,” shared Pascual. Among them are improvements in the defensive strategy.
OJ Porteria and Fil-Belgian Jeffrey Christiaens will join the team in Japan along with veterans Jason de Jong and Manny Ott.
First choice goal keeper Roland Mueller and Carle de Murga will follow the team in Indonesia, where the football matches will start on Nov. 3, a week ahead of the opening ceremony.
IN ORDER to boost its chances in the Southeast Asian Games, the Philippine Under-23 team will leave tomorrow for a weeklong training camp in Japan.
The team will stay at Gotemba City where they will hold training sessions at the foot of Mount Fuji. Two of their scheduled tune-up games are against a local 18-Under team and another local club.
In the last three days of training, the team will move to Tokyo to watch the championship game of the J-League, the premier football league in Japan, and to play their final exhibition match.
“I believe that the Japan camp will make us strong,” said Paolo Pascual, who will be the team’s goalie in Japan practice matches.
The team has concluded its training at the Rizal Stadium, where they usually hold conditioning exercises in the morning and scrimmages in the afternoon.
“It was a good and tough training,” said Pascual.
The team had its first exhibition game against the Philippine Air Force where they had a 4-2 win with Jingoy Valmayor’s two goals and David Basa’s successful attempt.
The team had a more convincing win in their second friendly against the Laos FC, 9-1, with Valmayor and Mark Hartman sharing three goals each. Romeo Martinez and OJ Clarino chipped in a goal, while Laos also had an own goal.
But despite the team’s wins, head coach Michael Weiss wasn’t satisfied with the team’s performance.
“The coach said there are a lot of things to work on,” shared Pascual. Among them are improvements in the defensive strategy.
OJ Porteria and Fil-Belgian Jeffrey Christiaens will join the team in Japan along with veterans Jason de Jong and Manny Ott.
First choice goal keeper Roland Mueller and Carle de Murga will follow the team in Indonesia, where the football matches will start on Nov. 3, a week ahead of the opening ceremony.
Azkals jump eight places in FIFA world rankings
ROY MOORE, GMA News
The Philippine Azkals jumped eight places based on the latest FIFA world rankings released on Wednesday.
The Azkals, behind a 4-0 win over Nepal in a friendly last week and their surprising second-place finish in the 2011 Long Teng Cup, climbed from 166th to 158th in the world.
The Azkals showed great improvement as they went unbeaten in the 2011 Long Teng Cup and ended their season with a pair of friendly matches—a 2-0 loss to Singapore and a victory against Nepal, which dropped nine places to 144th.
FIFA rankings take into account the previous four years of international football; taking 20 percent of a side’s points in 2008, 30 from 2009, 50 from 2010 and 100 in 2011 to calculate its total score to compare against other nations.
Based on the above formula, the Philippines now have 127 points as the Azkals jump past teams such as Mongolia, whom they have beaten 3-2 on aggregate to qualify for the Challenge Cup Qualifying Group Stage; Palestine, whom they held to a scoreless draw in that stage; as well as nations such as India, the Maldives and Nicaragua.
The Michael Weiss-mentored squad also placed 29th in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), just behind two-time Long Teng Cup champion Hong Kong, a team that they held to a 3-3 draw in the 2011 tournament.
The Azkals are also the most improved footballing nation in the world based on the latest football ELO ratings, FIFA ranking’s competitor.
Spain retains its number one spot in the world winning all eight of their Euro 2012 qualifying games to qualify for the main tournament next year.
As the reigning Euro Cup and World Cup champions they continue to dominate other countries through their possession play and famed tiki-taka brand of football, which uses quick, short passes to break down the defensive line with movement and pace.
The Philippines have been adopting some aspects of this style in recent games, showing good movement off the ball and shorter passes in contrast with their previous long-ball strategy and defensive “parking the bus" style.
The Netherlands and Germany occupy second and third place while Uruguay and Brazil completing the top five. Unsurprisingly, the top 10 nations are still all from either South America or Europe.
Greece, surprisingly after suffering from severe economic problems, has made the top 10 this time at eighth in the world. It seems that this archipelago still continues to punch above its weight in the football world, something the Philippines will hope to rival in the future.
Bermuda was the top gainer climbing 57 spots from 187th to 132nd. Cyprus, Moldova and Bolivia share the less honorable prize for the worst movers as all three nations dropped 34 four places down the rankings.
It is rare for teams to climb or drop so many places and so the Azkals are hoping to be consistent going into next year’s Challenge Cup and Suzuki Cup. With a good showing throughout they can be expected to keep climbing the rankings and begin to earn a place as not only one of South East Asia’s elite but rivaling the Asian powerhouses.
This year may be over for the Senior team but the Azkals Under-23 team will be in action in the SEA Games, from November 3.
The Philippines is drawn in Group B alongside Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Timor Leste and Myanmar.
Confident of being able to compete well, their stiffest tests will come against Vietnam and Myanmar.
If the Philippines can repeat their heroics last year, however, when they beat Vietnam 1-0 in the 2010 Suzuki Cup and even improve on their 1-1 draw with Myanmar, who hosted the Challenge Cup’s group stages, the team has a great shot at winning a medal.
The Philippine Azkals jumped eight places based on the latest FIFA world rankings released on Wednesday.
The Azkals, behind a 4-0 win over Nepal in a friendly last week and their surprising second-place finish in the 2011 Long Teng Cup, climbed from 166th to 158th in the world.
The Azkals showed great improvement as they went unbeaten in the 2011 Long Teng Cup and ended their season with a pair of friendly matches—a 2-0 loss to Singapore and a victory against Nepal, which dropped nine places to 144th.
FIFA rankings take into account the previous four years of international football; taking 20 percent of a side’s points in 2008, 30 from 2009, 50 from 2010 and 100 in 2011 to calculate its total score to compare against other nations.
Based on the above formula, the Philippines now have 127 points as the Azkals jump past teams such as Mongolia, whom they have beaten 3-2 on aggregate to qualify for the Challenge Cup Qualifying Group Stage; Palestine, whom they held to a scoreless draw in that stage; as well as nations such as India, the Maldives and Nicaragua.
The Michael Weiss-mentored squad also placed 29th in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), just behind two-time Long Teng Cup champion Hong Kong, a team that they held to a 3-3 draw in the 2011 tournament.
The Azkals are also the most improved footballing nation in the world based on the latest football ELO ratings, FIFA ranking’s competitor.
Spain retains its number one spot in the world winning all eight of their Euro 2012 qualifying games to qualify for the main tournament next year.
As the reigning Euro Cup and World Cup champions they continue to dominate other countries through their possession play and famed tiki-taka brand of football, which uses quick, short passes to break down the defensive line with movement and pace.
The Philippines have been adopting some aspects of this style in recent games, showing good movement off the ball and shorter passes in contrast with their previous long-ball strategy and defensive “parking the bus" style.
The Netherlands and Germany occupy second and third place while Uruguay and Brazil completing the top five. Unsurprisingly, the top 10 nations are still all from either South America or Europe.
Greece, surprisingly after suffering from severe economic problems, has made the top 10 this time at eighth in the world. It seems that this archipelago still continues to punch above its weight in the football world, something the Philippines will hope to rival in the future.
Bermuda was the top gainer climbing 57 spots from 187th to 132nd. Cyprus, Moldova and Bolivia share the less honorable prize for the worst movers as all three nations dropped 34 four places down the rankings.
It is rare for teams to climb or drop so many places and so the Azkals are hoping to be consistent going into next year’s Challenge Cup and Suzuki Cup. With a good showing throughout they can be expected to keep climbing the rankings and begin to earn a place as not only one of South East Asia’s elite but rivaling the Asian powerhouses.
This year may be over for the Senior team but the Azkals Under-23 team will be in action in the SEA Games, from November 3.
The Philippines is drawn in Group B alongside Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Timor Leste and Myanmar.
Confident of being able to compete well, their stiffest tests will come against Vietnam and Myanmar.
If the Philippines can repeat their heroics last year, however, when they beat Vietnam 1-0 in the 2010 Suzuki Cup and even improve on their 1-1 draw with Myanmar, who hosted the Challenge Cup’s group stages, the team has a great shot at winning a medal.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Cebu battles Global
By Mike T. Limpag - Suns Star Cebu
AFTER a one-week delay, the Cebu Queen City United will finally make their UFL Cup debut against defending champion Global FC in Manila today.
Cebu Queen City was supposed to play Pachanga last week but the game was cancelled and coach Mario Ceniza said though they were disappointed with the cancellation, the delay has helped the team a bit.
“Nakatabang gamay ang extra week na training,” said Ceniza, who formed the team in less than a month as Cebu was the last entry to sign up for the UFL, the country’s premier football competition.
However, Ceniza said they weren’t able to play a tuneup game the past week because of the lack of quality opposition, as the college teams are busy with their Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. campaign.
“Conditioning-wise, the players are OK as seen during the trainings and drills, but I really can’t say for sure because match fitness is different,” said Ceniza.
Ceniza, the coaching staff and players left for Manila yesterday afternoon for their game today. The Cebu Queen City players are Frederick Alazas, Alex Buanghog, Niño Zapanta, Dave Gerali, Jan Michael Flores, Ronald Mahilum, Julius Acre, Rocky Garciano, Mitsuo Tsunakiri, Junard Aguilar, Rommel Cuizon, Jack Reston, Christian Delan, Martin Bontia, Rene Menchavez and Marion Cubelo.
It’s the same problem for Graeme Mackinnon, the new Global coach, who has to deal with injury issues.
Mackinnon said he will put defender Jerry Barbaso in midfield to cover for the injured Remi Sery, one of the goal scorers in Global’s 3-2 loss to the Stallions.
“Right now, our bench is very shallow. (Remi) wasn’t able to finish the practice last Thursday because of his injury,” Mackinnon said.
Filipino Spanish player Angel Aldeguer also won’t suit up owing to the injury he picked up in the Azkals’ friendly against Singapore, and Mackinnon is planning to field the striker in their game against Pachanga.
The weather in Manila has also foiled the team’s practice and Mackinnon said they had to play seven-a-side football in a basketball court during their last session.
Mackinnon said he expects a tough game today.
“They (the players) know they have to redeem themselves after last week’s game. They have to get together,” Mackinnon said. “But we are not taking Cebu lately. We are expecting a tough match.”
“If you get complacent, it will come back to bite you,” he said.
The Stallions lead Group C with three points with a win, while Global, Cebu and Pachanga have yet to score a win.
In yesterday’s game, Phil Younghusband led the Loyola Meralco Sparks to a 15-1 rout of Socceroos, while Nate Burkey had a hat trick in Kaya FC’s 3-2 win over Diliman.
AFTER a one-week delay, the Cebu Queen City United will finally make their UFL Cup debut against defending champion Global FC in Manila today.
Cebu Queen City was supposed to play Pachanga last week but the game was cancelled and coach Mario Ceniza said though they were disappointed with the cancellation, the delay has helped the team a bit.
“Nakatabang gamay ang extra week na training,” said Ceniza, who formed the team in less than a month as Cebu was the last entry to sign up for the UFL, the country’s premier football competition.
However, Ceniza said they weren’t able to play a tuneup game the past week because of the lack of quality opposition, as the college teams are busy with their Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. campaign.
“Conditioning-wise, the players are OK as seen during the trainings and drills, but I really can’t say for sure because match fitness is different,” said Ceniza.
Ceniza, the coaching staff and players left for Manila yesterday afternoon for their game today. The Cebu Queen City players are Frederick Alazas, Alex Buanghog, Niño Zapanta, Dave Gerali, Jan Michael Flores, Ronald Mahilum, Julius Acre, Rocky Garciano, Mitsuo Tsunakiri, Junard Aguilar, Rommel Cuizon, Jack Reston, Christian Delan, Martin Bontia, Rene Menchavez and Marion Cubelo.
It’s the same problem for Graeme Mackinnon, the new Global coach, who has to deal with injury issues.
Mackinnon said he will put defender Jerry Barbaso in midfield to cover for the injured Remi Sery, one of the goal scorers in Global’s 3-2 loss to the Stallions.
“Right now, our bench is very shallow. (Remi) wasn’t able to finish the practice last Thursday because of his injury,” Mackinnon said.
Filipino Spanish player Angel Aldeguer also won’t suit up owing to the injury he picked up in the Azkals’ friendly against Singapore, and Mackinnon is planning to field the striker in their game against Pachanga.
The weather in Manila has also foiled the team’s practice and Mackinnon said they had to play seven-a-side football in a basketball court during their last session.
Mackinnon said he expects a tough game today.
“They (the players) know they have to redeem themselves after last week’s game. They have to get together,” Mackinnon said. “But we are not taking Cebu lately. We are expecting a tough match.”
“If you get complacent, it will come back to bite you,” he said.
The Stallions lead Group C with three points with a win, while Global, Cebu and Pachanga have yet to score a win.
In yesterday’s game, Phil Younghusband led the Loyola Meralco Sparks to a 15-1 rout of Socceroos, while Nate Burkey had a hat trick in Kaya FC’s 3-2 win over Diliman.
Azkals prepare U-23 team for SEA Games medal bid
By Olmin Leyba (The Philippine Star)
MANILA, Philippines - With the Azkals’ 2011 campaign already done with, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) shifts its resources to preparing the under-23 team for its medal quest in the 26th Southeast Asian Games, which blasts off in less than three weeks in Indonesia.
From the Azkals, coach Michael Weiss goes full-time to honing up and calling the shots for the Phl U-23 side, hoping the mix of Fil-foreign and homegrown booters will make great strides from a training camp in Gotemba, Japan next week.
“There’s really no time to rest. We have to resume training with more intensity (for the Under-23),” said Weiss, who inserted some mainstays of the U-23 team to the seniors crew (Azkals) that placed second in the recent Long Teng Cup in Chinese-Taipei.
“With the national (seniors) team having the Long Teng Cup, the under-23 is a little bit behind. Hopefully, we can catch up in the Japan camp,” he said.
The Under-23 side will be in Gotemba, Japan from Oct. 23-31, to train in the same facilities where the Azkals held camp last March in the buildup for their AFC Challenge Cup playoff match with Mongolia.
Weiss said they are arranging tuneup matches with strong Japanese university teams to prepare his wards for the SEA Games in Indonesia, where football’s schedule was moved to Nov. 3 from its original Nov. 7 kickoff.
Three recruits based abroad, Fil-Spanish Carli de Murga, Fil-German Roland Muller and Fil-Belgian Jeffrey Christiaens, are still uncertain to join the Japan camp, according to team coordinator Jojie Ronda, but have given their commitment to play in the SEAG.
From Japan, the team will return to Manila on Oct. 31 then leave for Jakarta the following day.
Fil-Dutch Azkal Jason de Jong, Fil-German Manuel Ott, Neckson Leonora, Raymark Fernandez, David Basa and Joshua Beloya are among the other mainstays of the team.
“I think we can field an interesting squad to the SEA Games,” said Weiss. “We hope we can connect very well together in Japan in camp and go from there to Indonesia.”
MANILA, Philippines - With the Azkals’ 2011 campaign already done with, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) shifts its resources to preparing the under-23 team for its medal quest in the 26th Southeast Asian Games, which blasts off in less than three weeks in Indonesia.
From the Azkals, coach Michael Weiss goes full-time to honing up and calling the shots for the Phl U-23 side, hoping the mix of Fil-foreign and homegrown booters will make great strides from a training camp in Gotemba, Japan next week.
“There’s really no time to rest. We have to resume training with more intensity (for the Under-23),” said Weiss, who inserted some mainstays of the U-23 team to the seniors crew (Azkals) that placed second in the recent Long Teng Cup in Chinese-Taipei.
“With the national (seniors) team having the Long Teng Cup, the under-23 is a little bit behind. Hopefully, we can catch up in the Japan camp,” he said.
The Under-23 side will be in Gotemba, Japan from Oct. 23-31, to train in the same facilities where the Azkals held camp last March in the buildup for their AFC Challenge Cup playoff match with Mongolia.
Weiss said they are arranging tuneup matches with strong Japanese university teams to prepare his wards for the SEA Games in Indonesia, where football’s schedule was moved to Nov. 3 from its original Nov. 7 kickoff.
Three recruits based abroad, Fil-Spanish Carli de Murga, Fil-German Roland Muller and Fil-Belgian Jeffrey Christiaens, are still uncertain to join the Japan camp, according to team coordinator Jojie Ronda, but have given their commitment to play in the SEAG.
From Japan, the team will return to Manila on Oct. 31 then leave for Jakarta the following day.
Fil-Dutch Azkal Jason de Jong, Fil-German Manuel Ott, Neckson Leonora, Raymark Fernandez, David Basa and Joshua Beloya are among the other mainstays of the team.
“I think we can field an interesting squad to the SEA Games,” said Weiss. “We hope we can connect very well together in Japan in camp and go from there to Indonesia.”
Azkals most improved in the world based on ELO
ROY MOORE, GMA News
The latest football ELO ratings show that the Philippines is the most improved country in the world this year. Jumping 22 places from 201st to 179th in the world, the Azkals have increased their rating by 170 points, more than any other nation.
ELO ratings are considered by footballing enthusiasts to be often more reliable than FIFA rankings. Devised by a chess grandmaster the ELO ratings take into account the quality of the opposition as teams get more points for a win over a tougher team.
Teams can even earn points if they lose against a team ranked much higher than them, such as when Kuwait beat the Philippines 2-1 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. The Philippines gained three points despite the loss because they were expected to lose by a much heavier scoreline against Kuwait, who are ranked 61st in the world.
Most successful year
Philippine football, this year, experienced one of its most successful years in decades. The Azkals have made remarkable progress this year, making history on several occasions.
The Philippines' campaign began at the end of 2010 when they reached the semifinals of the Suzuki Cup. The Azkals beat Vietnam and drew with Singapore in the group stages to clinch a Final Four berth.
After the controversy of having to play their home leg of the semi finals in Indonesia rather than in the Philippines, the Azkals still managed to use that experience as a platform to improve more than any other country in the world.
Challenge Cup
The Philippines (166) had to beat Mongolia (163), a team rated higher in the FIFA rankings, in the qualifiers in order to clinch a berth in the Group stages of the Challenge Cup.
The Azkals defeated Mongolia, 2-0, in the first leg in Bacolod before dropping a 3-2 decision in an away match in Ulan Bator. The Philippines won 3-2 on aggregate to qualify.
After qualifying for the first group stage, the Philippines drew to hosts Burma and eventual group winners Palestine, needing to beat Bangladesh in the final game of the group to reach the final stage.
The Azkals dominated Bangladesh, 3-0, to show how well they could play even though they had little time to work together and build the right communication. Unbeaten in the group stage they now go to the final stage in March 2012 looking to play and get a result against such highly-ranked teams as North Korea (121), Tajikistan (124) and Turkmenistan (141).
World Cup Qualification
The Azkals then focused their attention to the World Cup Qualification. With no realistic chance of making the 2014 finals, the goal was to get as far as possible, given the Philippines had never even won a match in a World Cup Qualification before. That statistic was broken in emphatic style as after a disappointing first leg against Sri Lanka, a 1-1 draw in Colombo, the Azkals tore apart their opponents' defense to win 4-0 in the second leg.
The Philippines were drawn against Kuwait in the second round. A powerhouse of Asian football, they are the most successful team ever in the Gulf Cup of Nations and the reigning champions since 2010. Ranked 99th in the world by FIFA they are even higher in ELO rankings, rated at 61st in the world according to probably the more accurate ratings.
The Philippines, therefore, were expected to lose massively to them and after a 3-0 loss in the first leg they led 1-0 going into the second half, eventually losing 2-1, and 5-1 on aggregate.
That may have ended the Azkals' World Cup Qualification campaign but they certainly grew in popularity from then on. Moreover fans began to realize that losing a game of football didn't mean the team were bad, they were just playing against another country who is much better rated.
The most important factor in progress is the rate at which a team learns and improves; officially the Philippines are now second to none in that regard.
Long Teng Cup and friendlies
Following the World Cup Qualification the Philippines competed in the Long Teng Cup in Taiwan. Like in the Challenge Cup they first drew Hong Kong (156) and hosts Taiwan (172) and came out in the final game with a 2-0 win over Macau (191) to remain unbeaten since joining last year's tournament.
Not quite reaching the same heights as previously they still showed some potential and it was Chieffy Caligdong who stole the show finishing top scorer with four goals in three games to clinch the Golden Boot Award. Ian Araneta was the 2010 Golden Boot awardee.
The team had no time to rest, though, as they headed straight to Singapore (136) for a friendly. Losing 2-0, Singapore got their revenge from the stunning 1-1 draw which helped knocked Singapore out in the group stages of the AFC Suzuki Cup. Ranked 30 places above them in the FIFA rankings, the Azkals didn't really get going in the game and only had one good chance to score throughout 90 minutes.
However, just four days later they were playing at home against Nepal (135), who are ranked one place higher than Singapore and will also be participating in the final stage of the 2012 Challenge Cup in March
In front of the Philippine fans at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, the Azkals destroyed Nepal, 4-0, capping the year by showing their true potential. The cliff-hanger, however, will be how much better can the team be once Stephan Schrock and Angel Guirado return after injuries had kept them both out of the games against Singapore and Nepal.
A P-League
Always evolving, the team have seen players who grew up in Denmark, Iceland, Germany, Holland, Belgium, the United States and other nations join the ranks of the Azkals. Most promising, however, is how these players are now filtering into the UFL with Jason Sabio, Nate Burkey and Lexton Moy joining Kaya; Angel Guirado joining Global; and the Younghusband brothers joining the Hartmann siblings at Loyola.
With TV investment the domestic league is growing more professional and this will help local talent develop to supply the National team a host of players.
With talk of stadiums and growing infrastructure to support the demand coming from the growing number of football fans, the Philippines could soon see the UFL become the Philippines' P-League, to compare with Singapore's S-League, the J-League of Japan or the Vietnam's V-League.
Next for the Azkals
The future looks bright for the Azkals, who still have a lot of room for improvement. With manager Dan Palami and coach Michael Weiss always looking to help the squad develop they may very well keep climbing the rankings and be the most improved nation in 2012.
The next competitive international games for the Azkals will be the Challenge Cup in March.
Split into two groups of four teams the Challenge Cup will provide great competition for the Philippines to build on this success. Until then, the Under 23s will be competing in the Southeast Asian Games starting November 3.
The Under-23 squad will include the likes of recent additions Jeff Christiaens, goalkeeper Roland Müller and Jinggoy Valmayor, who recently scored the first hat-trick of the UFL Cup, alongside regulars Simon Greatwich, Jason De Jong and Manny Ott.
The Azkals continue to get better and with the right domestic infrastructure and experience for younger players they can only keep progressing. For the senior players, international football may have ended for 2011 but they've gone straight back into action in the UFL Cup.
With free entrance at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, fans can see their favorite Azkals alongside the up and coming youth players as Philippine football looks better than ever.
The latest football ELO ratings show that the Philippines is the most improved country in the world this year. Jumping 22 places from 201st to 179th in the world, the Azkals have increased their rating by 170 points, more than any other nation.
ELO ratings are considered by footballing enthusiasts to be often more reliable than FIFA rankings. Devised by a chess grandmaster the ELO ratings take into account the quality of the opposition as teams get more points for a win over a tougher team.
Teams can even earn points if they lose against a team ranked much higher than them, such as when Kuwait beat the Philippines 2-1 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. The Philippines gained three points despite the loss because they were expected to lose by a much heavier scoreline against Kuwait, who are ranked 61st in the world.
Most successful year
Philippine football, this year, experienced one of its most successful years in decades. The Azkals have made remarkable progress this year, making history on several occasions.
The Philippines' campaign began at the end of 2010 when they reached the semifinals of the Suzuki Cup. The Azkals beat Vietnam and drew with Singapore in the group stages to clinch a Final Four berth.
After the controversy of having to play their home leg of the semi finals in Indonesia rather than in the Philippines, the Azkals still managed to use that experience as a platform to improve more than any other country in the world.
Challenge Cup
The Philippines (166) had to beat Mongolia (163), a team rated higher in the FIFA rankings, in the qualifiers in order to clinch a berth in the Group stages of the Challenge Cup.
The Azkals defeated Mongolia, 2-0, in the first leg in Bacolod before dropping a 3-2 decision in an away match in Ulan Bator. The Philippines won 3-2 on aggregate to qualify.
After qualifying for the first group stage, the Philippines drew to hosts Burma and eventual group winners Palestine, needing to beat Bangladesh in the final game of the group to reach the final stage.
The Azkals dominated Bangladesh, 3-0, to show how well they could play even though they had little time to work together and build the right communication. Unbeaten in the group stage they now go to the final stage in March 2012 looking to play and get a result against such highly-ranked teams as North Korea (121), Tajikistan (124) and Turkmenistan (141).
World Cup Qualification
The Azkals then focused their attention to the World Cup Qualification. With no realistic chance of making the 2014 finals, the goal was to get as far as possible, given the Philippines had never even won a match in a World Cup Qualification before. That statistic was broken in emphatic style as after a disappointing first leg against Sri Lanka, a 1-1 draw in Colombo, the Azkals tore apart their opponents' defense to win 4-0 in the second leg.
The Philippines were drawn against Kuwait in the second round. A powerhouse of Asian football, they are the most successful team ever in the Gulf Cup of Nations and the reigning champions since 2010. Ranked 99th in the world by FIFA they are even higher in ELO rankings, rated at 61st in the world according to probably the more accurate ratings.
The Philippines, therefore, were expected to lose massively to them and after a 3-0 loss in the first leg they led 1-0 going into the second half, eventually losing 2-1, and 5-1 on aggregate.
That may have ended the Azkals' World Cup Qualification campaign but they certainly grew in popularity from then on. Moreover fans began to realize that losing a game of football didn't mean the team were bad, they were just playing against another country who is much better rated.
The most important factor in progress is the rate at which a team learns and improves; officially the Philippines are now second to none in that regard.
Long Teng Cup and friendlies
Following the World Cup Qualification the Philippines competed in the Long Teng Cup in Taiwan. Like in the Challenge Cup they first drew Hong Kong (156) and hosts Taiwan (172) and came out in the final game with a 2-0 win over Macau (191) to remain unbeaten since joining last year's tournament.
Not quite reaching the same heights as previously they still showed some potential and it was Chieffy Caligdong who stole the show finishing top scorer with four goals in three games to clinch the Golden Boot Award. Ian Araneta was the 2010 Golden Boot awardee.
The team had no time to rest, though, as they headed straight to Singapore (136) for a friendly. Losing 2-0, Singapore got their revenge from the stunning 1-1 draw which helped knocked Singapore out in the group stages of the AFC Suzuki Cup. Ranked 30 places above them in the FIFA rankings, the Azkals didn't really get going in the game and only had one good chance to score throughout 90 minutes.
However, just four days later they were playing at home against Nepal (135), who are ranked one place higher than Singapore and will also be participating in the final stage of the 2012 Challenge Cup in March
In front of the Philippine fans at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, the Azkals destroyed Nepal, 4-0, capping the year by showing their true potential. The cliff-hanger, however, will be how much better can the team be once Stephan Schrock and Angel Guirado return after injuries had kept them both out of the games against Singapore and Nepal.
A P-League
Always evolving, the team have seen players who grew up in Denmark, Iceland, Germany, Holland, Belgium, the United States and other nations join the ranks of the Azkals. Most promising, however, is how these players are now filtering into the UFL with Jason Sabio, Nate Burkey and Lexton Moy joining Kaya; Angel Guirado joining Global; and the Younghusband brothers joining the Hartmann siblings at Loyola.
With TV investment the domestic league is growing more professional and this will help local talent develop to supply the National team a host of players.
With talk of stadiums and growing infrastructure to support the demand coming from the growing number of football fans, the Philippines could soon see the UFL become the Philippines' P-League, to compare with Singapore's S-League, the J-League of Japan or the Vietnam's V-League.
Next for the Azkals
The future looks bright for the Azkals, who still have a lot of room for improvement. With manager Dan Palami and coach Michael Weiss always looking to help the squad develop they may very well keep climbing the rankings and be the most improved nation in 2012.
The next competitive international games for the Azkals will be the Challenge Cup in March.
Split into two groups of four teams the Challenge Cup will provide great competition for the Philippines to build on this success. Until then, the Under 23s will be competing in the Southeast Asian Games starting November 3.
The Under-23 squad will include the likes of recent additions Jeff Christiaens, goalkeeper Roland Müller and Jinggoy Valmayor, who recently scored the first hat-trick of the UFL Cup, alongside regulars Simon Greatwich, Jason De Jong and Manny Ott.
The Azkals continue to get better and with the right domestic infrastructure and experience for younger players they can only keep progressing. For the senior players, international football may have ended for 2011 but they've gone straight back into action in the UFL Cup.
With free entrance at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, fans can see their favorite Azkals alongside the up and coming youth players as Philippine football looks better than ever.
Full cast of Azkals topbill last match for 2011
By MAV C. GONZALES, GMA News
It’s 30 minutes before the Azkals-Nepal friendly kickoff but unlike the previous matches, the Rizal Memorial Stadium was not teeming with fans clad in blue. You could tell that the ones present belonged to one of these three groups of people: family and friends, football diehards, or fangirls and fangays.
It’s 30 minutes before the Azkals-Nepal friendly kickoff but unlike the previous matches, the Rizal Memorial Stadium was not teeming with fans clad in blue. You could tell that the ones present belonged to one of these three groups of people: family and friends, football diehards, or fangirls and fangays.
Golden Boot winner Chieffy Caligdong may not have scored during the match, but he still remains the crowd favorite.
This was the first time in 14 years that the Philippines would be hosting an international friendly – which follows to say that we are now getting reestablished in the world football arena. The Fil-foreign players in the squad traveled halfway around the globe just to participate in this match.
Although composed of younger players, Nepal is ranked 135th in the world. The Philippines trails behind at 166. This was a battle not just for FIFA ranking, but for pride as well. Nobody likes to lose, especially in his home field. In the case of Nepal, they wouldn’t like to lose to a lower ranked team.
But with the lineup and home crowd advantage, the Azkals whipped the Nepalese, 4-0, on Tuesday night.
Full force
Thanks to international breaks, members of the Azkals who play in different leagues abroad were able to come home for this friendly. Half-Europeans Neil Etheridge, Rob Gier, Ray Jonsson, Jason De Jong, Jerry Lucena, Dennis Cagara and Paul Mulders were all present.
And then you have crowd favorite Chieffy Caligdong who has his own cheer from the Kaholeros. Fellow Ilonggo Ian Araneta also got to start again after so many matches. Skipper Aly Borromeo and Younghusband brothers were also there to complete the first eleven.
New talents also emerged as 22-year-old Matthew Hartmann made his first international goal at the 89th mark.
However, a couple of regulars did not suit up in Tuesday’s match. Fil-Spanish striker Angel Guirado, although currently based in Manila, did not see action due to an injured ankle. Anton Del Rosario also sat out because of an MCL injury three weeks ago.
While talent is unquestionable in this pool – you have veteran Gier coming off the bench – chemistry has always been the bigger concern. With more games together, the team is now playing with more fluidity. In fact, the no-look passes and crossovers are finally happening now.
Pinoy Double Dutch
Fil-Dutch Paul Mulders and Jason De Jong were the pair to beat in the midfield.
Famous, or infamous, as the Azkals’ bad boy, De Jong is there for his toughness. His footwork and timely tackles intimidated the younger Nepal squad. It’s probably partly due to his tattoo-covered arms too.
Mulders, on the other hand, returned to the Azkals after a leg injury. The crowd at the grandstand could not help but cheer and clap in awe as he brushed off three Nepalese players on his own. He wasn’t in the UEFA Europa League for nothing.
Most hardworking player of the night
This award is a tossup between James Younghusband and Dennis Cagara. Both guys were running from baseline to baseline with the older Younghusband even scoring a goal in the 29th minute. Although not a super quick winger, he makes up for it with his hard work.
Cagara also helped a lot in setting up the plays. His bicycle kick in an attempt to save the ball would’ve been even more impressive if it hadn’t gone out of bounds. All the same, he wowed the Filipino crowd that does not usually see fancy football footwork.
Defense, defense, defense
This may not be basketball but the defenders of the Philippines deserve credit for holding up a sturdy backline.
Someone from the crowd went as far as to joke that goalkeeper Neil Etheridge must have been bored during the match because Nepal had but one decent attempt at the goal.
“Everybody remembers your last game"
This may not be a tournament or a World Cup qualifier, but Coach Michael Weiss believes that the win would still dispel doubters.
“Everybody remembers your last game so it’s good that we won this last one," said Phil Younghusband who scored two of the team’s goals.
The senior Azkals would see action again in March 2012 when they compete in the AFC Challenge Cup. Training would resume in January.
Given the three-month break, Weiss is expecting players to maintain high-level training in their respective clubs. He adds that the United Football League would provide the Azkals an avenue to continue training and playing with the best talents in the country.
Even with the 4-0 win, Weiss says that there are indeed still points for improvement.
“It’s good that we are getting to know each other better. But we still need better organization in set plays," he says.
The younger Younghusband agrees with him, saying, “We can only get better."
It’s 30 minutes before the Azkals-Nepal friendly kickoff but unlike the previous matches, the Rizal Memorial Stadium was not teeming with fans clad in blue. You could tell that the ones present belonged to one of these three groups of people: family and friends, football diehards, or fangirls and fangays.
It’s 30 minutes before the Azkals-Nepal friendly kickoff but unlike the previous matches, the Rizal Memorial Stadium was not teeming with fans clad in blue. You could tell that the ones present belonged to one of these three groups of people: family and friends, football diehards, or fangirls and fangays.
Golden Boot winner Chieffy Caligdong may not have scored during the match, but he still remains the crowd favorite.
This was the first time in 14 years that the Philippines would be hosting an international friendly – which follows to say that we are now getting reestablished in the world football arena. The Fil-foreign players in the squad traveled halfway around the globe just to participate in this match.
Although composed of younger players, Nepal is ranked 135th in the world. The Philippines trails behind at 166. This was a battle not just for FIFA ranking, but for pride as well. Nobody likes to lose, especially in his home field. In the case of Nepal, they wouldn’t like to lose to a lower ranked team.
But with the lineup and home crowd advantage, the Azkals whipped the Nepalese, 4-0, on Tuesday night.
Full force
Thanks to international breaks, members of the Azkals who play in different leagues abroad were able to come home for this friendly. Half-Europeans Neil Etheridge, Rob Gier, Ray Jonsson, Jason De Jong, Jerry Lucena, Dennis Cagara and Paul Mulders were all present.
And then you have crowd favorite Chieffy Caligdong who has his own cheer from the Kaholeros. Fellow Ilonggo Ian Araneta also got to start again after so many matches. Skipper Aly Borromeo and Younghusband brothers were also there to complete the first eleven.
New talents also emerged as 22-year-old Matthew Hartmann made his first international goal at the 89th mark.
However, a couple of regulars did not suit up in Tuesday’s match. Fil-Spanish striker Angel Guirado, although currently based in Manila, did not see action due to an injured ankle. Anton Del Rosario also sat out because of an MCL injury three weeks ago.
While talent is unquestionable in this pool – you have veteran Gier coming off the bench – chemistry has always been the bigger concern. With more games together, the team is now playing with more fluidity. In fact, the no-look passes and crossovers are finally happening now.
Pinoy Double Dutch
Fil-Dutch Paul Mulders and Jason De Jong were the pair to beat in the midfield.
Famous, or infamous, as the Azkals’ bad boy, De Jong is there for his toughness. His footwork and timely tackles intimidated the younger Nepal squad. It’s probably partly due to his tattoo-covered arms too.
Mulders, on the other hand, returned to the Azkals after a leg injury. The crowd at the grandstand could not help but cheer and clap in awe as he brushed off three Nepalese players on his own. He wasn’t in the UEFA Europa League for nothing.
Most hardworking player of the night
This award is a tossup between James Younghusband and Dennis Cagara. Both guys were running from baseline to baseline with the older Younghusband even scoring a goal in the 29th minute. Although not a super quick winger, he makes up for it with his hard work.
Cagara also helped a lot in setting up the plays. His bicycle kick in an attempt to save the ball would’ve been even more impressive if it hadn’t gone out of bounds. All the same, he wowed the Filipino crowd that does not usually see fancy football footwork.
Defense, defense, defense
This may not be basketball but the defenders of the Philippines deserve credit for holding up a sturdy backline.
Someone from the crowd went as far as to joke that goalkeeper Neil Etheridge must have been bored during the match because Nepal had but one decent attempt at the goal.
“Everybody remembers your last game"
This may not be a tournament or a World Cup qualifier, but Coach Michael Weiss believes that the win would still dispel doubters.
“Everybody remembers your last game so it’s good that we won this last one," said Phil Younghusband who scored two of the team’s goals.
The senior Azkals would see action again in March 2012 when they compete in the AFC Challenge Cup. Training would resume in January.
Given the three-month break, Weiss is expecting players to maintain high-level training in their respective clubs. He adds that the United Football League would provide the Azkals an avenue to continue training and playing with the best talents in the country.
Even with the 4-0 win, Weiss says that there are indeed still points for improvement.
“It’s good that we are getting to know each other better. But we still need better organization in set plays," he says.
The younger Younghusband agrees with him, saying, “We can only get better."
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
PHL Azkals show class in 4-0 blanking of Nepal
ROY MOORE - GMA NEWS
The Philippines came out to silence any doubters at the Rizal Memorial Stadium and with a brace
from Phil Younghusband, a goal from his brother James and a first international goal for fellow Filipino-British Matthew Hartmann the Azkals went on dominate Nepal 4-0. The Younghusband brothers particularly were the driving force behind the team as they beat a Nepal side who have been rather erratic in their performances this year.
Phil Younghusband opened the scoring when he was played through on the 17th minute to slot past Kiran Kumar Limbu in the Nepalese goal. At the half-hour mark his brother James got in on the action in the 30th by shooting from just outside the area into the top corner to double the Azkals' lead at halftime.
Phil Younghusband, receiving a pass from a Dennis Cagara corner, doubled his tally in the second half before Matthew Hartmann capped off an outstanding display with his first international goal.
First half
Despite facing a team ranked 31 places above them in Nepal (135), the Philippines (166) pressured the Nepalese keeper, who spilled crosses twice, early on.
Chieffy Caligdong uncharacteristically missed an easy scoring opportunity firing over with the goalkeeper sprawled on the ground. That didn't matter too much though as Phil Younghusband put the Philippines in front when he was set through on goal. At first it seemed he had taken the ball too wide but the goalkeeper kept moving and was very poorly positioned allowing the new Loyola Meralco Sparks forward to slot past the keeper's outstretched foot.
James Younghusband then added a second in the 28th minute as he picked up the ball on the edge of the area, shimmied past his defender and fired into the top corner.
Ian Araneta had a chance to make it 3-0 as Caligdong's low cross evaded the Nepalese defense but the Air Force striker couldn't quite get on the end of it with his slide.
Second half
Coach Michael Weiss, seeing that the Philippines dominated the first half, decided to bring in Nate Burkey to replace Araneta. But it was Phil Younghusband who again scored the next goal 10 minutes into the half.
Cagara fired in from a corner, which the striker controlled before putting the ball past the diving Limbu in the 55th minute.
Three goals up the Azkals didn't stop pressing the higher-ranked side and collectively began showing the quality we have seen glimpses of in previous games.
Nepal only threatened once in the second half, forcing Neil Etheridge into a tipped save in the 61st minute and Phil Younghusband almost had a hat-trick when he burst through on the right wing seven minutes later but his shot attempt was wide.
Jerry Lucena was then stretchered off shortly after and replaced by Hartmann, Chieffy Caligdong was rested giving Misagh Bahadoran a chance to show his skill before Jason De Jong came in for Lexton Moy.
Immediately Bahadoran made an impact, breaking on the left and cutting inside to shoot into the far corner, forcing Limbu in goal into a fine acrobatic fingertip save, though it was Hartmann who scored the fourth when Cagara burst through down the left wing, passed inside to Phil Younghusband who teed it up for the substitute to fire with pin-point precision into the top corner to score his first goal for the Philippines.
The dominating victory caps a grueling recent schedule for the Azkals, who bounced back from their 2-0 loss to Singapore in another friendly match.
After the game, Nepal's English coach Graham Roberts refused to make any excuses. "I've never been ashamed of my team before but I was ashamed at the first half."
Roberts said his team was "absolutely abysmal" as Nepal have not played competitively for three months.
He praised the Azkals' performance and even singled out Phil Younghusband as the difference, noting that his defenders are very good players but the Loyola Agila forward simply "tore them apart."
Phil Younghusband dedicated his performance to his mother, who died last month. Humble in the press conference, he commended his teammates who supplied him with the passes that allowed him to score twice and lead the Philippines to a one-sided victory.
The Philippines came out to silence any doubters at the Rizal Memorial Stadium and with a brace
from Phil Younghusband, a goal from his brother James and a first international goal for fellow Filipino-British Matthew Hartmann the Azkals went on dominate Nepal 4-0. The Younghusband brothers particularly were the driving force behind the team as they beat a Nepal side who have been rather erratic in their performances this year.
Phil Younghusband opened the scoring when he was played through on the 17th minute to slot past Kiran Kumar Limbu in the Nepalese goal. At the half-hour mark his brother James got in on the action in the 30th by shooting from just outside the area into the top corner to double the Azkals' lead at halftime.
Phil Younghusband, receiving a pass from a Dennis Cagara corner, doubled his tally in the second half before Matthew Hartmann capped off an outstanding display with his first international goal.
First half
Despite facing a team ranked 31 places above them in Nepal (135), the Philippines (166) pressured the Nepalese keeper, who spilled crosses twice, early on.
Chieffy Caligdong uncharacteristically missed an easy scoring opportunity firing over with the goalkeeper sprawled on the ground. That didn't matter too much though as Phil Younghusband put the Philippines in front when he was set through on goal. At first it seemed he had taken the ball too wide but the goalkeeper kept moving and was very poorly positioned allowing the new Loyola Meralco Sparks forward to slot past the keeper's outstretched foot.
James Younghusband then added a second in the 28th minute as he picked up the ball on the edge of the area, shimmied past his defender and fired into the top corner.
Ian Araneta had a chance to make it 3-0 as Caligdong's low cross evaded the Nepalese defense but the Air Force striker couldn't quite get on the end of it with his slide.
Second half
Coach Michael Weiss, seeing that the Philippines dominated the first half, decided to bring in Nate Burkey to replace Araneta. But it was Phil Younghusband who again scored the next goal 10 minutes into the half.
Cagara fired in from a corner, which the striker controlled before putting the ball past the diving Limbu in the 55th minute.
Three goals up the Azkals didn't stop pressing the higher-ranked side and collectively began showing the quality we have seen glimpses of in previous games.
Nepal only threatened once in the second half, forcing Neil Etheridge into a tipped save in the 61st minute and Phil Younghusband almost had a hat-trick when he burst through on the right wing seven minutes later but his shot attempt was wide.
Jerry Lucena was then stretchered off shortly after and replaced by Hartmann, Chieffy Caligdong was rested giving Misagh Bahadoran a chance to show his skill before Jason De Jong came in for Lexton Moy.
Immediately Bahadoran made an impact, breaking on the left and cutting inside to shoot into the far corner, forcing Limbu in goal into a fine acrobatic fingertip save, though it was Hartmann who scored the fourth when Cagara burst through down the left wing, passed inside to Phil Younghusband who teed it up for the substitute to fire with pin-point precision into the top corner to score his first goal for the Philippines.
The dominating victory caps a grueling recent schedule for the Azkals, who bounced back from their 2-0 loss to Singapore in another friendly match.
After the game, Nepal's English coach Graham Roberts refused to make any excuses. "I've never been ashamed of my team before but I was ashamed at the first half."
Roberts said his team was "absolutely abysmal" as Nepal have not played competitively for three months.
He praised the Azkals' performance and even singled out Phil Younghusband as the difference, noting that his defenders are very good players but the Loyola Agila forward simply "tore them apart."
Phil Younghusband dedicated his performance to his mother, who died last month. Humble in the press conference, he commended his teammates who supplied him with the passes that allowed him to score twice and lead the Philippines to a one-sided victory.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Singapore stuns Philippine Azkals
abs-cbnNEWS.com
MANILA, Philippines (1st UPDATE) – The Philippine Azkals lost to the Singapore Lions, 2-0, during their friendly match at the Jalan Besar Stadium Friday.
The visiting Azkals managed to hold the Lions goalless in the first half, but were caught flatfooted by their foes' attacks in the second period.
Shaiful Esah of Singapore gave the Lions a 1-0 lead through a deflected long-range strike in the 50th minute of the game.
The hosts' veteran striker Aleksandar Duric, who has scored more than 300 goals in the S.League, increased Singapore's lead in a counterattack blitz goal in the 64th minute.
The Azkals had several chances at the goal in the first half, with Chieffy Caligdong and Phil Younghusband nearly scoring for the Philippine squad.
Caligdong's goal in the 13th minute was disallowed as the winger was offside, while Younghusband’s free kick was just inches from the goal.
Singapore is currently ranked 136th in the world, while the Philippines is rated No. 166.
MANILA, Philippines (1st UPDATE) – The Philippine Azkals lost to the Singapore Lions, 2-0, during their friendly match at the Jalan Besar Stadium Friday.
The visiting Azkals managed to hold the Lions goalless in the first half, but were caught flatfooted by their foes' attacks in the second period.
Shaiful Esah of Singapore gave the Lions a 1-0 lead through a deflected long-range strike in the 50th minute of the game.
The hosts' veteran striker Aleksandar Duric, who has scored more than 300 goals in the S.League, increased Singapore's lead in a counterattack blitz goal in the 64th minute.
The Azkals had several chances at the goal in the first half, with Chieffy Caligdong and Phil Younghusband nearly scoring for the Philippine squad.
Caligdong's goal in the 13th minute was disallowed as the winger was offside, while Younghusband’s free kick was just inches from the goal.
Singapore is currently ranked 136th in the world, while the Philippines is rated No. 166.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Chieffy steers Azkals to 2-0 win
by Peter Atencio - Manila Standard Today
THE Philippine Azkals surprised Macau with the timely entry in the second half of Chieffy Caligdong, who scored both goals in a 2-0 victory by the Filipinos in the four-nation Long Teng Cup Tuesday at the Kaohsiung national stadium in Taiwan.
Caligdong, who was supposed to rest for the entire match, came in for Fil-German Oliver Potschke and went on the offensive immediately, his heroics allowing the Azkals to score their first win in the tournament against two draws.
The 5’5” wonder from Pototan, Iloilo found his mark in the 51st and in the 82nd minutes to eventually emerge as the tournament’s most prolific scorer with four total goals.
So far, Hong Kong booters Sham Kwok Keung and Wong Chin Hung trail Caligdong with two goals apiece.
The 29-year-old Caligdong received a corner kick from Matthew Hartmann and went for short blast, which goalie Ho Man Wei deflected.
The Filipino crowd went wild as Caligdong stayed ahead of defender Pak Lin Hao and sent the ball back in after he caught the ball on the rebound for his first goal.
Then, Caligdong found another opening on the 87th minute when he got a pass from Hartmann, chesting it to the right post and into the net.
The Azkals, who played without suspended Fil-Spanish booter Angel Guirado, settled for second spot at the end of the 90-minute encounter and they could remain there depending on how the Hong Kong-Chinese Taipei game will finish. Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei both have the same 1-1-0 win-draw-loss records as of presstime.
If Chinese Taipei loses, the Azkals will stay in second. If the two squads draw, the Azkals will end up third.
The Azkals took possession for 71% of the time, but they only had two shots on target out of 10.
The tournament proved to be a good experience for the Azkals, who had some members of the Southeast Asian Games-bound national under-23 team in the roster.
Caligdong, who was rested because of injury in the second half of their game against Chinese Taipei last Saturday, has a total of 13 goals out of 13 international appearances since 2004.
He had two chances to score in the closing minutes, but Ho quickly got in the way in the 87th, while his last try in front of the goal mouth and the keeper went too high.
The Azkals fly to Singapore for their next friendly this Friday and then to Manila for another friendly with Nepal on Monday.
THE Philippine Azkals surprised Macau with the timely entry in the second half of Chieffy Caligdong, who scored both goals in a 2-0 victory by the Filipinos in the four-nation Long Teng Cup Tuesday at the Kaohsiung national stadium in Taiwan.
Caligdong, who was supposed to rest for the entire match, came in for Fil-German Oliver Potschke and went on the offensive immediately, his heroics allowing the Azkals to score their first win in the tournament against two draws.
The 5’5” wonder from Pototan, Iloilo found his mark in the 51st and in the 82nd minutes to eventually emerge as the tournament’s most prolific scorer with four total goals.
So far, Hong Kong booters Sham Kwok Keung and Wong Chin Hung trail Caligdong with two goals apiece.
The 29-year-old Caligdong received a corner kick from Matthew Hartmann and went for short blast, which goalie Ho Man Wei deflected.
The Filipino crowd went wild as Caligdong stayed ahead of defender Pak Lin Hao and sent the ball back in after he caught the ball on the rebound for his first goal.
Then, Caligdong found another opening on the 87th minute when he got a pass from Hartmann, chesting it to the right post and into the net.
The Azkals, who played without suspended Fil-Spanish booter Angel Guirado, settled for second spot at the end of the 90-minute encounter and they could remain there depending on how the Hong Kong-Chinese Taipei game will finish. Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei both have the same 1-1-0 win-draw-loss records as of presstime.
If Chinese Taipei loses, the Azkals will stay in second. If the two squads draw, the Azkals will end up third.
The Azkals took possession for 71% of the time, but they only had two shots on target out of 10.
The tournament proved to be a good experience for the Azkals, who had some members of the Southeast Asian Games-bound national under-23 team in the roster.
Caligdong, who was rested because of injury in the second half of their game against Chinese Taipei last Saturday, has a total of 13 goals out of 13 international appearances since 2004.
He had two chances to score in the closing minutes, but Ho quickly got in the way in the 87th, while his last try in front of the goal mouth and the keeper went too high.
The Azkals fly to Singapore for their next friendly this Friday and then to Manila for another friendly with Nepal on Monday.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Azkals held to another stalemate in Long Teng Cup
By Celest R. Flores - INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines was held to a stalemate again—this time a scoreless draw versus host Chinese-Taipei Sunday night in the Long Teng Cup.
The Azkals will need a dominating victory over Macau Tuesday as they are now lodged in third place with two points behind leaders Taiwan and defending champion Hong Kong, each with four points points buoyed by separate wins.
It was Fil-German goalkeeper Roland Mueller, debuting for the Azkals in the four-nation tournament, who showcased quality performance as he tirelessly thwarted all the goal attempts of the more aggressive Taiwanese side.
Muller salvaged the Philippines, which allowed the Taiwanese to slip past countless times for a shot on goal, with his timely saves.
The Azkals struggled to get in the rhythm on the attack early in the match marred by poor officiating and nasty defending, and then saw all of their clear-cut chances at a goal saved by Taiwan.
The Philippines came close to scoring when striker Phil Younghusband received the ball in the box with only the keeper to beat, but found his attempt foiled.
The Azkals opened up the competition in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, with an unsatisfying 3-3 draw to Hong Kong Friday where they conceded a goal at the last minute.
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines was held to a stalemate again—this time a scoreless draw versus host Chinese-Taipei Sunday night in the Long Teng Cup.
The Azkals will need a dominating victory over Macau Tuesday as they are now lodged in third place with two points behind leaders Taiwan and defending champion Hong Kong, each with four points points buoyed by separate wins.
It was Fil-German goalkeeper Roland Mueller, debuting for the Azkals in the four-nation tournament, who showcased quality performance as he tirelessly thwarted all the goal attempts of the more aggressive Taiwanese side.
Muller salvaged the Philippines, which allowed the Taiwanese to slip past countless times for a shot on goal, with his timely saves.
The Azkals struggled to get in the rhythm on the attack early in the match marred by poor officiating and nasty defending, and then saw all of their clear-cut chances at a goal saved by Taiwan.
The Philippines came close to scoring when striker Phil Younghusband received the ball in the box with only the keeper to beat, but found his attempt foiled.
The Azkals opened up the competition in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, with an unsatisfying 3-3 draw to Hong Kong Friday where they conceded a goal at the last minute.
Azkals go for win, crown in Teng Cup
by Olmin Leyba, The Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines - Forced to a 3-3 standoff by Hong Kong in their debut, the Philippine Azkals eye no less than a victory today against host Chinese-Taipei to boost their bid for the top plum in the 2011 Long Teng Cup in Kaohsiung, Chinese-Taipei.
The draw gave the Filipinos a point, leaving them no choice but to gun for a maximum two points against the Taiwanese in the single-round-robin tournament among four nations. The hosts whitewashed Macau, 3-0, in their first match Friday night.
"We will be in a very good position to win the tournament if we win today," said Azkals coach Michael Weiss.
For them to do so, it is imperative for the Azkals to improve on their defense.
"Our defending (against Hong Kong) was all over the place," said skipper Aly Borromeo. "But at least, there's familiarity now. We know how we will play together. We can't let Chinese-Taipei get that confidence unlike against Hong Kong."
A mix of veterans and members of the U-23 pool, the Azkals struggled with new combinations against the Hong Kong booters, who pounced on Phl's shortcomings to score two early goals.
The Azkals got the opportunity to pull off a come-from-behind win when Phil Younghusband scored on a penalty kick and Chieffy Caligdong hit two astounding strikes before limping off the field in the 79th minute. But a late goal by Hong Kong forced the standoff.
Caligdong said he'll be ready for the Chinese-Taipei matchup but one of the Azkals won't be seeing action in Jason de Jong, who's suspended for a red card in the HK duel.
"We will sit a little a bit deeper (on defense) and will be looking for counter-attacks. I hope everybody steps up, especially in terms of alertness and concentration," Weiss said.
MANILA, Philippines - Forced to a 3-3 standoff by Hong Kong in their debut, the Philippine Azkals eye no less than a victory today against host Chinese-Taipei to boost their bid for the top plum in the 2011 Long Teng Cup in Kaohsiung, Chinese-Taipei.
The draw gave the Filipinos a point, leaving them no choice but to gun for a maximum two points against the Taiwanese in the single-round-robin tournament among four nations. The hosts whitewashed Macau, 3-0, in their first match Friday night.
"We will be in a very good position to win the tournament if we win today," said Azkals coach Michael Weiss.
For them to do so, it is imperative for the Azkals to improve on their defense.
"Our defending (against Hong Kong) was all over the place," said skipper Aly Borromeo. "But at least, there's familiarity now. We know how we will play together. We can't let Chinese-Taipei get that confidence unlike against Hong Kong."
A mix of veterans and members of the U-23 pool, the Azkals struggled with new combinations against the Hong Kong booters, who pounced on Phl's shortcomings to score two early goals.
The Azkals got the opportunity to pull off a come-from-behind win when Phil Younghusband scored on a penalty kick and Chieffy Caligdong hit two astounding strikes before limping off the field in the 79th minute. But a late goal by Hong Kong forced the standoff.
Caligdong said he'll be ready for the Chinese-Taipei matchup but one of the Azkals won't be seeing action in Jason de Jong, who's suspended for a red card in the HK duel.
"We will sit a little a bit deeper (on defense) and will be looking for counter-attacks. I hope everybody steps up, especially in terms of alertness and concentration," Weiss said.
Philippine Azkals open with HK draw despite Chieffy’s heroics
By Cedelf P. Tupas - Philippine Daily Inquirer
KAOHSIUNG — Chieffy Caligdong struck twice but the Philippine Azkals couldn’t finish off what could have been a comeback for the ages and settled for a 3-3 stalemate against defending champion Hong Kong Friday night in a highly-physical Long Teng Cup opening-match at the National Stadium here.
Caligdong, the proud son of Barotac Nuevo who plays for the Philippine Air Force, delivered two clinical goals, after Phil Younghusband opened the scoring from the penalty spot as the Azkals, who trailed 0-2 after just 22 minutes, flirted with another fightback only to be stalled by poor defending on the set piece near the end.
In a draw that brought back memories against Myanmar and Sri Lanka early this year, the Azkals yielded a late goal on a free kick from just outside the area.
“We should have been rewarded with a if only for Caligdong’s performance,” said Azkals coach Michael Weiss, who paid tribute to the influential winger who limped off after sustaining a knee injury in the 78th minute.
“He’s an outstanding player and I’m glad he’s back into his old shape,” Weiss said of Caligdong, who jacked up his international goal count to 10.
“The comeback was brave and fantastic but we were unlucky,” added Weiss, who also took to task the referees for what he claimed were three “wrong” offside calls in the second half on Phil Younghusband and Ian Araneta.
“It’s the first time we’re playing with a squad like this but you have to admire the players for putting their heart into the game by coming back from two goals down,” said team manager Dan Palami.
The draw gave the Azkals and Hong Kong a point each. Chinese-Taipei and Macau are playing as of presstime.
Missing Europe-based standouts like Stephan Schrock, Neil Etheridge and Paul Mulders, the Azkals’ defensive frailties were exposed early and often as Hong Kong zoomed to a 2-nil advantage thanks to a second-minute strike from Lee Wai Lim and a header from Cheng Lai Hin 22nd minute.
“We were a little naive defensively and we were punished,” said Weiss.
Younghusband sparked the comeback with a penalty conversion in the 31st minute, after he was pulled down by Wai Chiu Ng, who was later given a red card for a foul on Caligdong in the 65th minute.
Left to beat one defender after a fine pass from Younghusband, Caligdong made it all square with a clinical left-footed finish from the left in the 44th minute after a frenetic exchange of scoring chances
A livewire act on the left flank, Caligdong made it 3-2 by beating two defenders before firing past Hung Fai Yapp in the 62nd minute, sending about 500 Filipino supporters, led by the traveling fan group Kaholeros, in the stadium in delirium.
Just when the Azkals were about to celebrate one of their biggest comebacks, Hong Kong struck through Cheng Lai Hin, who was the quickest to react on the rebound after Chan Siu Ki’s free kick was saved into the post by the debuting Roland Muller.
Muller, who plays for Duisburg in the German second division, was the busier of the two goalkeepers, needing to be alert to stop Kwok Pin Pong late in the match, even as substitute Mark Hartmann drew an injury-time save from Yapp from point-blank range.
The match saw three players get sent off including Filipino midfielder Jason de Jong, who got his marching orders in injury time for dissent. Kwok followed him to the showers moments later for a clumsy challenge on Angel Aldeguer that drew a straight red card.
Though he feels the Azkals deserved more than a draw, Weiss said he’d rather dwell on the positives, particularly on the fact that they held a stronger Hong Kong team than the one the Filipinos lost to last year, 2-4.
“We were including new players in the lineup and we were able to get a result,” said Weiss.
KAOHSIUNG — Chieffy Caligdong struck twice but the Philippine Azkals couldn’t finish off what could have been a comeback for the ages and settled for a 3-3 stalemate against defending champion Hong Kong Friday night in a highly-physical Long Teng Cup opening-match at the National Stadium here.
Caligdong, the proud son of Barotac Nuevo who plays for the Philippine Air Force, delivered two clinical goals, after Phil Younghusband opened the scoring from the penalty spot as the Azkals, who trailed 0-2 after just 22 minutes, flirted with another fightback only to be stalled by poor defending on the set piece near the end.
In a draw that brought back memories against Myanmar and Sri Lanka early this year, the Azkals yielded a late goal on a free kick from just outside the area.
“We should have been rewarded with a if only for Caligdong’s performance,” said Azkals coach Michael Weiss, who paid tribute to the influential winger who limped off after sustaining a knee injury in the 78th minute.
“He’s an outstanding player and I’m glad he’s back into his old shape,” Weiss said of Caligdong, who jacked up his international goal count to 10.
“The comeback was brave and fantastic but we were unlucky,” added Weiss, who also took to task the referees for what he claimed were three “wrong” offside calls in the second half on Phil Younghusband and Ian Araneta.
“It’s the first time we’re playing with a squad like this but you have to admire the players for putting their heart into the game by coming back from two goals down,” said team manager Dan Palami.
The draw gave the Azkals and Hong Kong a point each. Chinese-Taipei and Macau are playing as of presstime.
Missing Europe-based standouts like Stephan Schrock, Neil Etheridge and Paul Mulders, the Azkals’ defensive frailties were exposed early and often as Hong Kong zoomed to a 2-nil advantage thanks to a second-minute strike from Lee Wai Lim and a header from Cheng Lai Hin 22nd minute.
“We were a little naive defensively and we were punished,” said Weiss.
Younghusband sparked the comeback with a penalty conversion in the 31st minute, after he was pulled down by Wai Chiu Ng, who was later given a red card for a foul on Caligdong in the 65th minute.
Left to beat one defender after a fine pass from Younghusband, Caligdong made it all square with a clinical left-footed finish from the left in the 44th minute after a frenetic exchange of scoring chances
A livewire act on the left flank, Caligdong made it 3-2 by beating two defenders before firing past Hung Fai Yapp in the 62nd minute, sending about 500 Filipino supporters, led by the traveling fan group Kaholeros, in the stadium in delirium.
Just when the Azkals were about to celebrate one of their biggest comebacks, Hong Kong struck through Cheng Lai Hin, who was the quickest to react on the rebound after Chan Siu Ki’s free kick was saved into the post by the debuting Roland Muller.
Muller, who plays for Duisburg in the German second division, was the busier of the two goalkeepers, needing to be alert to stop Kwok Pin Pong late in the match, even as substitute Mark Hartmann drew an injury-time save from Yapp from point-blank range.
The match saw three players get sent off including Filipino midfielder Jason de Jong, who got his marching orders in injury time for dissent. Kwok followed him to the showers moments later for a clumsy challenge on Angel Aldeguer that drew a straight red card.
Though he feels the Azkals deserved more than a draw, Weiss said he’d rather dwell on the positives, particularly on the fact that they held a stronger Hong Kong team than the one the Filipinos lost to last year, 2-4.
“We were including new players in the lineup and we were able to get a result,” said Weiss.
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