Brazil 2014 draw stirs Asian hopefuls (FIFA REPORT)

(report from FIFA)

Nearly nine months on since the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ concluded, Asia put the wheels in motion for Brazil 2014 by conducting the draw for the opening two qualifying rounds on Wednesday. 16 of the continent's lowest ranked sides will battle against each other in the first phase, with the eight winners advancing to join a further 22 teams in the next stage. Australia, Korea Republic, Japan, Korea DPR and Bahrain – the confederation’s top five teams in South Africa 2010 qualifying – will automatically enter in Round 3.

Yesterday's event largely turned out to be kind for some traditional powerhouses, with four-time FIFA World Cup qualifiers Saudi Arabia drawn to meet Hong Kong. Fellow east Asian giants Iran cross paths with Maldives, a side against whom they netted 22 unanswered goals against over two legs in qualifying for France 1998. Team Melli legend Karim Bagheri scoring a then FIFA World Cup record seven goals in Tehran.

China PR, the fifth highest Asian team in the current FIFA/Coca Cola World Ranking, are pitted against the winners of Cambodia and Laos. While a comfortable aggregate victory should be within their grasp, head coach Gao Hongbo refused to take their prospective opponents lightly. "We have paid the price for our slip-ups on too many occasions in past World Cup bids, so the lessons we must learn is that we can't underestimate any opponent," said Gao. "We should focus our attention on preparation and do our best regardless of the rivals."

The opening round will also provide some of lesser known teams with a rare chance to enjoy the spotlight and cause an upset. Boosted by their recent qualifying success for the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup, Philippines are keen to shrug off their whipping-boys tag when they take on Sri Lanka. "It is not a bad draw for us," Philippines coach Michael Weiss told FIFA.com. "Sri Lanka represents a force in south Asia but we should have a good chance against them."

Awaiting the Filipinos, should they get the better of Sri Lanka, will be ten-time Gulf champions and 1982 FIFA World Cup participants Kuwait, who are 52 places above the Azkals in the global pecking order. The German tactician remains undaunted saying his side do not intend to merely make up the numbers, regardless of their opponent. "If we have all our top players available with the preparation going smoothly, we have a 30 per cent chance against them,” he said. “At least we will give them a hard time.”

Enticing match-ups
The draw throws up a host of intriguing match-ups, with the encounter between 2011 AFC Asian Cup finalists United Arab Emirates and India arguably the most intriguing. Both sides bowed out after the group stage in January's continental competition, but it was the Middle East side that can draw inspiration from a 5-0 friendly triumph over the south Asians in the Asian Cup build-up.

"On paper we may be favourites to win the campaign," said UAE's Slovenian coach Srecko Katanec. "But things are very close nowadays and any team can cause a sensation if they are on their day. Besides, we should also keep wary of the difficulties caused by the hot and humid weather."

The second round also pits some familiar foes together, with Asian Cup semi-finalists Uzbekistan locking horns with Kyrgyzstan in an all-Central Asian affair. Neighbours Tajikistan face another meeting against Syria, with the pair having also met in the qualification campaign for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, when the latter prevailed 3-1 on aggregate.

Another former Soviet republic, Turkmenistan, will resume an unlikely rivalry against Indonesia, with the two side’s level on head-to-head record after each claimed a home 3-1 win in their previous meetings, also in Germany 2006 qualifying. 2018 FIFA World Cup hosts Qatar, for their part, may feel they have a score to settle with Vietnam, after their last meeting ended in a surprise 1-1 draw and contributed to the Gulf nation’s early exit from the 2007 Asian Cup.

Round 1
Malaysia-Chinese Taipei
Bangladesh-Pakistan
Cambodia-Laos
Sri Lanka-Philippines
Afghanistan-Palestine
Vietnam-Macau
Nepal-Timor-Leste
Mongolia-Myanmar

Round 2
Thailand-Afghanistan or Palestine
Lebanon-Bangladesh or Pakistan
China PR-Cambodia or Laos
Turkmenistan-Indonesia
Kuwait-Sri Lanka or Philippines
Oman-Mongolia or Myanmar
Saudi Arabia-Hong Kong
Iran-Maldives
Syria-Tajikistan
Qatar-Vietnam or Macau
Iraq-Yemen
Singapore-Malaysia or Chinese Taipei
Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan
United Arab Emirates-India
Jordan-Nepal or Timor-Leste

Azkals to face Sri Lanka in first step for qualifying to 2014 World Cup

By Cedelf P. Tupas
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—For the Philippines, the long climb to football heaven—the 2014 World Cup in Brazil—begins with a duel against Sri Lanka.

Bidding to crash football’s showpiece for the first time, the Azkals were pitted against a tough Sri Lankan team in the first round of the qualifiers that will be played in a home-and-away series starting June 28.

Sri Lanka will host the first leg on June 28 with the return leg set in the Philippines five days later.

Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta is eyeing the Rizal Memorial Stadium as a possible site for the home match.

Middle East powerhouse Kuwait awaits the survivor of the Philippines-Sri Lanka duel in the second round.

Philippine team officials, led by manager Dan Palami and German coach Michael Weiss, welcomed the pairing with Sri Lanka, which is ranked 22 places lower than the Azkals at 173 in the latest Fifa rankings.

But Palami, who was at the opening of the Suzuki Cup Under-23 Championship in Los Baños, Laguna, when the draw was conducted at the Asian Football Confederation office in Sri Lanka Wednesday, warned his side not to be complacent, saying that the Sri Lankans could not be taken for granted.

“We have our work cut out for us,” Palami told the Philippine Daily Inquirer over the phone. “We cannot look past Sri Lanka despite its ranking.”

The Philippines has never gotten past the first round of the World Cup qualifiers and Palami said the Azkals have been targeting to reach the third round in 2011.

Azkals skipper Aly Borromeo described the outcome of the draw as “positive.”

“I think it’s a team similar to Bangladesh,” said Borromeo, describing the Sri Lankans. “Physically we will be superior against them.”

The Azkals shut out Bangladesh, 3-0, in the Challenge Cup qualifiers last week in Yangon, Myanmar.

The Sri Lankans have shown their quality in the Asian level, having beaten Bangladesh and Chinese-Taipei in recent years. They also drew against former Challenge Cup champion Tajikistan, 2-2, last year.

Phl football rises with Azkals on the loose

By Abac Cordero (The Philippine Star)

Thanks to the Azkals, Philippine football is on the rise.

From where it stood in 2009, at No. 167 in the FIFA world rankings, the Philippines is now at No. 151 among 203 member countries.

It has moved ahead of countries like Cambodia, Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Maldives, Lebanon, Laos, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mongolia and Afghanistan.

In the coming World Cup qualifiers in June and July, the Philippines may end up facing Cambodia, ranked 154th, and Afghanistan, way behind at 194th.

The Philippines, according to Azkals team manager Dan Palami, should be favored to advance at the expense of these two teams.

The Philippines lags behind its neighbors like Chinese Taipei (147), Singapore (139), Malaysia (138), Vietnam (134), Indonesia (129) and Thailand (118).

But what’s important is that the Philippines is on the rise.

In March last year, again according to the FIFA rankings, the Philippines was at 167, then hit a lot of 170 in April. Then everything turned sweet for the Azkals.

At 151, the Philippines is at its best FIFA ranking ever, and the Philippine Football Federation, now under Mariano “Nonong” Araneta, had never seen better days.

Yet, Azkals head coach Michael Weiss, just moments after the team advanced to the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup main tournament, that the team ain’t seen nothing yet.

He was asked about the significance of the Azkals’ solid stint in the Challenge Cup group stage, with draws against Myanmar and Palestine and a big win over Bangladesh.

“How important is this victory?” he almost repeated the question.

“Just wait because you will see in the next few days. How people will jump in the rolling van,” said the architect of the Rwanda’s (No. 133) rising football program.

In 2005, the Philippines was near rock-bottom at No. 191, then jumped to 171 the following year, back down to 179 then 160 to 167 in 2009.

The country’s performance graph in the official FIFA website had the needles jumping over the last 10 years, but has been on a steady rise since April of 2010.

During this stretch the Azkals brought back to life the sports that Filipinos used to love but seemed to have forgotten over the last couple of decades.

“We’re still working on it and trying to put the final pieces of the puzzle,” said Palami, who has dug deep into his own pocket to make sure the Azkals are up on their feet. And Palami said the steady flow of the taller, heftier and more skillful players is a sign of better things to come for the Azkals in the international arena.

The 40-year-old businessman insisted that what he has now is just “60 percent” of the full potential he had in mind when he took over the Azkals.

“We’re looking at our own version of the Dream Team by the time the World Qualifier begins,” he said.

The entry of private sponsors have helped a lot with the biggest support coming from PDLT/Smart under Manny V. Pangilinan, Air21 under Bert Lina, Pagcor under Bong Naguiat and ABS-CBN under Gabby Lopez.

“We have a job to do. We have to work on many, many departments,” said Weiss.

“We need a lot of money to really establish football in the Philippines. Look at the grassroots, there’s nothing there. I’m happy with our success but there’s a lot to be done.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” he said.

Brave Reds are next for Azkals

By FRANCIS SANTIAGO Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines’ ambitious bid of advancing to the prestigious 2014 World Cup got a massive boost Wednesday when the Philippine Azkals were drawn against a lower-ranked Sri Lankan side in the first round of the qualifying tournament that starts this June.

Philippine Football Federation chief Mariano “Nonong” Araneta said the result of the draw which took place in Kuala Lumpur was “a favourable one for the Azkals” if the standings in the FIFA world rankings of both teams will be the basis.

Nicknamed the Brave Reds, the Sri Lankan squad is ranked 173rd while the Philippines, 151st. The format for the Round 1 qualifier will be a home and away series with Sri Lanka hosting the first leg on June 29 and Philippines on July 3.

If the Azkals manage to ease past the Brave Reds, they will have a tougher time in Round 2 as they will face Kuwait, which is ranked 101st.

The Azkals, who recently secured a place in the main draw of the 2012 Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup, have never player the Brave Reds before, but Araneta remains optimistic of the team’s chances.

The Philippine squad gets the chance to learn more about the football brand of play of its South Asian opponent when Sri Lanka hosts its AFC Challenge Cup group stage qualifying matches next week.

Sri Lanka is in Group D and will play either Afghanistan or Bhutan, defending champion North Korea and Nepal at Dashrath and Halchowk Stadiums in Kathmandu beginning April 7. The Azkals and Palestine advanced to the eight-team finals after topping Group A last week.

“We might send someone to get a copy of their matches,” said Araneta of Sri Lanka which finished runner up in the 2006 edition of the Challenge Cup.

Team manager Dan Palami earlier said he would be already satisfied seeing the boys reaching the third round of the World Cup qualifier.

But with Kuwait standing in their way in the second round, the Azkals may have a hard time achieving their goal.

“So without looking past Sri Lanka, we’re also thinking ahead for the Kuwait match up,” Araneta said.

To prepare for Sri Lanka, as well as Kuwait, Araneta said the Azkals will camp out in a Middle East country in the first week of June so the players can get acclimatized with the hot weather.

The home game against Sri Lanka could be staged at either the Rizal Memorial football stadium in Manila or the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.

The Azkals are led by the Younghusband brothers – James and Phil – and new recruits from Europe.

Azkals aiming higher, dreaming bigger

By Barry Viloria, abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines – They came, they saw, they conquered. But as the Philippine Azkals prepare to conquer more matches, Coach Hans Michael Weiss said it would definitely take more than just tough training.

"To go the next level... requires more efforts, more passion in the work ethic, like it has been so far," Weiss said in a luncheon held for the Azkals Monday at the ELJ Communications Center at the ABS-CBN Compound in Quezon City.

the Azkals will now advance to the tournament which will take place on March 2012.

The team will also be playing in a qualifiers home-and-away match in their World Cup 2014 campaign, with their qualifying matches to be held this June.

For their future stints, Weiss said it would be best for the team to modify their game play.

"We have to make adjustments, we have to train more, train harder, train more intensively," he said.

Job well done

The Azkals managed to survive a do-or-die game against the Bangladesh Bengal Tigers, 3-0, to gain entry to the Challenge Cup tournament proper. The victory was considered an 'epic' improvement for the players' performers, given their previous two group matches against Myanmar and Palestine that ended in draws.

Weiss said it was team coordination that boosted the Azkals' chance of winning the game.

"I think the boys were listening not only to my words but to our concept, and to the way we wanted to play during the tournament," he said.

"In the first two match(es), they did not show 100% but... in the last match, they came out and I want to congratulate the team and their fantastic effort. And for believing in them, and concentrating when it was most asked for," Weiss said.

The German coach also said enthusiasm helped the Azkals survive when they were on the brink of elimination at the group stage.

"There was certainly some kind of pressure for the team in the last match but it also shows, most of them are in the stage where they can deal with pressure and understand what it means to play for a wonderful country like the Philippines," he said.

Consistent support

The Azkals are considerably a primary force that has helped popularize football in the country recently. Aside from a strong following, the players have also garnered more support from public and private entities than what they were receiving years before.

Weiss, nevertheless, asked for more "merchandising, promotions, schooling" support as the Azkals strive to outpace more foreign rivals.

"[I'm] asking for people to come in to support us financially not just by words and headlines on newspapers but honestly, real funding programs especially for education," he said.

Thankful, hopeful

Meanwhile, the triumphant Azkals remain grateful for those have have backed them in their stints.

Aside from the Philippine Football Federation and exclusive partner, ABS-CBN Sports, the players also thanked the team and coaches.

"It's been a long road to our success. Everyone, coaching staff, all the players have been through, all the up's and down's we've been through the past years..." team captain Aly Borromeo said about the people the team are grateful to.

Borromeo vowed to prove more of what the Azkals are capable of as they enter more tournaments.

"We just continue to get better. We're only starting, we have a long ladder to climb," he said.

For now, Azkals' manager Dan Palami is hoping the team remains resilient in their upcoming matches.

"In the future, I hope we become successful in our stints internationally," he said.

Feeling particularly driven for the World Cup qualifiers middle of this year, Palami said: "We look forward to playing here in the Philippines, and showing our kababayans what the Azkals can do."

Tough days ahead for Azkals

By Francis Santiago (Manila Bulletin)

National coach Hans Michael Weiss said he will need six tuneup matches against club teams in Asia to whip the Philippine Azkals into fighting form for the qualifying tournament for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil that starts this June.

“We will start training beginning of May,” the German coach said yesterday.

The Azkals returned home before dawn yesterday, fresh from their victorious campaign in the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup in Myanmar, and Weiss doesn’t want to waste time in mapping out their battle plan for their next important mission.

“Coach Weiss has proposed to have five to six friendly match against club teams,” Philippine Football Federation chief Mariano “Nonong” Araneta said before boarding a flight for Vietnam to attend an AFC conference yesterday.

“That’s the initial plan with my talks with team manager Dan Palami.”

Araneta said Asian countries such as Japan and Korea, and Australia are the possible sites of their training camps.

“As much as possible Asian countries ang gusto namin kasi mas mura doon,” he added.

Azkals co-captain Chieffy Caligdong said they were given by Palami a one month breather before plunging to training for the home-and-away World Cup series.

“Home sweet home. At last nakasama ko na family ko friends and football fans namin. One week ko din di nakausap family ko,” said Caligdong, who along with the other team members landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 on board Philippine Airlines flight PR 733 at 3:50 a.m.

The Azkals’ opponent for the first of six-rounds of the qualifier will be known only during a draw on Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Palami said they are hoping to assemble one of the strongest teams for the qualifier.

“For the World Cup qualifiers, I’m hoping that we will be able to form our Dream Team,” Palami said.

Among possible recruits for qualifier include Fil-German Stephan Schrock, Fil-Danish Dennis Cagara, Toronto-born Jonathan and Julian De Guzman while Filipino-Spanish Angel Guirado, who struck twice in the Filipino’s 3-0 win over Bangladesh in the Challenge Cup group stage last Friday, has made himself available.

The home-and-away series is set June 29 and July 3, and Araneta said the Rizal Memorial football stadium in Manila and the 1 Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City are possible venues for the home game. If the Philippines advances, Round 2 is set July 23 and 28.

Weiss, meanwhile, said he will fly to Germany soon to scout Fil-foreign players for the Philippines’ Under-23 team to the Southeast Asian Games later this year in Jakarta, Indonesia.

For beating Bangladesh Friday, the Azkals earned a slot in the main draw of the Challenge Cup, a tournament for emerging football nations, to be held next year.

Next goal for Azkals: World Cup qualifiers

abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines – Now that the Philippine Azkals already secured a slot in the 2012 Challenge Cup final group, they are setting their eyes on the most prestigious football stage: the FIFA World Cup.

The Azkals, who are coming off a successful stint in the Challenge Cup group stage, will be lined up for a home-and-away series of the World Cup Asian qualifiers.

The home-and-away series, scheduled on June 29 and July 3, will be the 1st round of the Asian qualifiers, according to ABS-CBN Sports.

The Azkals’ opponent will be announced in draw which will take place in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on March 30.

ABS-CBN Sports said the Azkals will have to go through 6 rounds of qualifiers before landing at the next FIFA World Cup in 2014, which will be held in Brazil.

FIFA World Cup, which is different from the AFC Challenge Cup, is held every four years. The current champion is Spain, which won the 2010 tournament.

Azkals back home

The Philippine Azkals were back in Manila early Sunday morning.

The Filipino booters had just survived the grueling Challenge Cup group stage, where they competed against Palestine, Bangladesh and host country Myanmar.

Led by Filipino-Spanish midfielder Angel Aldeguer Guirado and forward Ian Bayona Araneta, the Azkals finished second in Group A.

The Filipino booters were coming off 2 straight draws against Palestine and host Myanmar before battering Bangladesh, 3-0, in their final group stage game.

The much-needed victory over Bangladesh became the Azkals’ ticket to qualify in the 2012 Challenge Cup tournament proper.

Azkals Dream Team in the works

PHIL STAR

RANGOON – Watch out for the Azkals Dream Team.

Yes, very soon, the Azkals will come to their full potential, with the possible arrival of more recruits, including Fil-German Stefan Schrock and Fil-Danish Dennis Cagara.

The Azkals are also looking at the Toronto-born De Guzman brothers, Jonathan and Julian, to be part of the team when they vie in the World Cup qualifiers starting in June.

Angel Guirado, the Fil-Spanish hitman, assured the team of his availability, as well as Jerry Lucena, who flashed his own brilliance in three matches here over the week.

Team manager Dan Palami feels like he’s got the final pieces to the puzzle in his hand.

“For the World Cup qualifiers, I’m hoping that we will be able to form our Dream Team,” he said yesterday inside his Yangon Hotel room.

As he talked about the Dream Team, the Azkals were busy packing their things for the trip back home, fresh from their victorious stint in the AFC Challenge Cup group stage here.

With a team beaming with talent and cohesion, the Azkals drew their matches against Myanmar and Palestine before beating Bangladesh, 3-0, to make it to the 2012 Challenge Cup main tournament.

But Palami said the current team is not yet the team he had dreamed of.

“This is just 60 percent of the full potential that I have in mind,” said Palami.

From here, he said the Azkals will get a much-needed break. For a month, they can attend to their families, loved ones, their work or respective football clubs.

But while the players rest, the coaches will be as busy as before.

Palami said the local coaches will be looking out for under-23 talents to be fielded for the 26th Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia in November.

Head coach Michael Weiss, on the other hand, will be flying home to Germany soon, not to rest but to scout for other Fil-foreign talents waiting to be tapped.

Palami said Rob Gier will help Weiss in the scouting.

Team captain Aly Borromeo, Anton del Rosario and Simon Greatwich will leave for the United States to conduct tryouts in the East and West coasts beginning April 8.

“By March 30 we will know who our opponent will be in the World Cup qualifiers,” said Palami.

And by the time the Azkals try to do what’s never been done before, there’s hope that the Dream Team is there to compete.

Palami said dreams come true.

Azkals return home, thank Pinoy supporters

GMA NEWS

After its game against Bangladesh, the Philippine Azkals football team returned to Manila before dawn Sunday.

The team arrived at about 3:50 a.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 aboard a Philippine Airlines PR-723 flight, radio dzBB reported.

The Azkals — who won over Bangladesh in the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup qualifying match Friday — thanked Filipinos for their support.

It received a victory party from the Philippine Embassy in Bangladesh before returning to Manila, the report said.

On Saturday, Malacañang said it joins the Filipinos in congratulating the football team on its victory at the Bogyoke Aung San Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar.

In Friday’s match, Filipino-Spanish player Angel Guirado starred in the dismantling of Bangladesh.

The Philippines finished undefeated after consecutive draws with Myanmar (1-1) and fellow qualifier Palestine (0-0) — a 3-1 winner over the hosts — to enter the “Last 8" of the AFC Challenge Cup. — JE, GMA News

AFC Challenge Cup Final Standing for Groups A, B and C

http://www.soccerway.com/international/asia/afc-challenge-cup/2012/group-stage/

Guirado shines as Azkals reach AFC Challenge Cup quarterfinal round

GMA NEWS

Angel Guirado starred in the Philippine Azkals' 3-0 dismantling of Bangladesh in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup on Friday at the Bogyoke Aung San Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar.

The Filipino-Spanish striker scored twice in the second half as the Azkals earned the much-needed three points in the group stages of the Challenge Cup.

The 26-year-old Guirado first scored in the 55th minute then added one more in the 80th minute to secure the win for the wards of coach Michael Weiss.

Ian Araneta, a veteran forward of the Philippine Air Force, opened up the scoring for the Azkals when he found the back of the net in the 41st minute as the Philippine team took a 1-0 lead at the turn.

The Philippines, which finished undefeated after consecutive draws against Myanmar (1-1) and fellow qualifier Palestine (0-0) – a 3-1 winner over the hosts – in the Last 8.

Other quarterfinalists were Group B qualifiers India and Turkmenistan, and the Maldives and Tajikistan of Group C.

Group D – which includes 2010 AFC Challenge Cup champions North Korea, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the winner of the playoff match between Cambodia and Macau – will start their final qualifying matches on April 7.

The top two teams in Group D will earn the last two spots in the Last 8 of the biennial tournament.

Tougher assignment

But reaching the next phase of the tournament for the first time means a tougher job for the Azkals, who are expected to arrive in Manila on Sunday.

“We are happy with the win. The team gave us another reason to be proud of. I thank everyone who supported the Azkals for their prayers. But this is one more step that we entered the tougher phase of the tournament," said Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Marano “Nonong" Araneta.

But Araneta believes the Azkals can go further in the Challenge Cup. “We have one year to prepare and one year to further strengthen the team. We still have elimination matches to play a in a World Cup qualifier."

Araneta said the last 8 teams in the Challenge Cup will be divided into two groups, with the top two teams in each group earning spots in the AFC Challenge Cup’s championship round. - Jon Perez, TJD, GMA News

A taste of sweet victory for Philippine Azkals

By Dennis Gasgonia and Barry Viloria, abs-cbnNEWs.com

MANILA, Philippines – Friday’s game was such a sweet victory for the Philippine Azkals who crashed into the 2012 Challenge Cup tournament finals by mangling the Bangladesh Bengal Tigers, 3-0.

Filipino booters traversed an arduous path toward the tournament proper, even surviving a series of earthquakes along the way.

After coming off two straight draws against Palestine and group stage host Myanmar, the Azkals were desperate for a win against Bangladesh.

The team played its cards right, surprising the Bengal Tigers with a relentless offense en route to a spectacular 3-0 victory.

Filipino-Spanish Angel Aldeguer Guirado played hero for the Azkals in that game, scoring 2 goals.

The Filipinos also received a great boost from Ian Araneta who struck the first goal during the first half.

The Azkals finished 2nd in the Group A bracket with a total of 5 points on 1 win and 2 draws, good enough for a trip to the 8-team Challenge Cup finals.

Good feeling
After their victory over Bangladesh, the Azkals expressed their gratitude to their adoring fans who closely followed their group stage games.

“Great win, good feeling, priceless!!! Thank you all for the support, couldn't have done it without you guys!” tweeted Azkals player Anton del Rosario.

“Heya all! Thank you for your support! Massive win! The team played well! Celebrations!” said goalkeeper Neil Etheridge through his Twitter page.

For Azkal Jason Sabio, it was a mission accomplished despite the criticisms coming from those who didn’t believe in them.

“Job done! AFC Challenge Cup here we come! We played amazing today. To the haters, that is how you man up! :) We are one We are Azkals! Boom,” tweeted Sabio.

“On to the final 8.. What a sweet victory! History in the books once more!! Thank you everyone for your undying support! :),” said team captain Aly Borromeo through his Twitter page.

Phil celebrates win
Azkals midfielder Phil Younghusband, who missed the group stage because of an injury, cheered his team for making history.

"Congratulations to the team for making history. They deserve this for all their hard work and even through difficult circumstances, we have shown the strength of a Filipino," he told abs-cbnNEWS.com.

Younghusband, whose brother James was a vital cog in the group stage matches, said he was initially worried with the team going through a do-or-die match.

"I was watching the updates through ANC and Twitter and I was obviously nervous before the game," he said.

However, he said that his nervousness turned into glee as the Azkals finished the match with 3 goals.

"But each time a goal was scored. I was celebrating... I am so so happy and proud of the team," he continued.

World Cup
Meanwhile, Younghusband said he is excited for the team’s upcoming games in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.

The Azkals will play against a still unnamed team this coming June.

"I am looking forward to the World Cup qualifiers," he said.

Netizens 'watched' the Azkals game on Twitter

abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines – The lack of live telecast of the football match between Philippine Azkals and Bangladesh Bengal Tigers on Friday led the Azkals fans to closely follow the game in the internet.

Philippines’ very own Ian Araneta and Angel Aldeguer Guirado were among the top 10 trending topics in the microblogging site Twitter between 6 to 7 p.m.

"YESSSSSSS!!!! Goal by Ian Araneta!!! Philippines 1 Bangladesh 0 GO AZKALS!!!!! " wrote Ceska Litton on her Twitter account, @CheckLit. Litton is sports and entertainment reporter.

"I'm so pleased for Ian Araneta. Scored the 1st and also provided the 2nd. That should shut up his critics now" tweeted @jarongenota

"#Azkals won 3-0 over Bangladesh w/ Ian Araneta's goal in 1st half and 2 goals by Guirado Angel on the 55th and 80th minutes. GO PHILIPPINES! " cheered @Edw4rd

Araneta scored the first goal for the Philippines in the 41st minute of the match after picking up a loose ball off Guirado.

Guirado, on the other hand, struck a goal in the 53rd minute through a header passed to him by Araneta.

In the 79th minute, Guirado scored again with a strike 20 yards away from the goal.

With these 3 goals, the Philippine team deafeated Bangladesh in the AFC Challenge Cup group stage to barge into the Cup finals in 2012.

The recently concluded match was held at the Aung San Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar.

Azkals blank Bangladesh, qualify for AFC Cup

INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) Needing a win to qualify for the AFC Challenge Cup and a place in local sports history, the Azkals did both by defeating Bangladesh, 3-0 in the group stages.

Fil-Spanish Angel Guirado peppered Bengal's keeper in the 54th and 80th minute after Iloilo striker Ian Araneta kickstarted the assault for the Azkals in the 41st minute.

Palestine leads group A with 7 points while the Azkals came in second with 5 points, with each win equivalent to three points and a draw, one point.

A win was all that the Azkals needed after ending their first two games in 1-1 and scoreless draws against the host, Myanmar, and Palestine respectively.

Another draw would have eliminated the Azkals and sent Bangladesh through to the next round.

Only the top two teams will advance and join India, Maldives, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan which have already qualified from their respective groups.

The Azkals’ win marks the first time that a Philippine football team has qualified for the AFC Challenge Cup.

LIVE: PH Azkals now 3-0 over Bengal Tigers -

abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines (5th UPDATE) – The Philippine Azkals scored a 3rd goal against the Bangladesh Bengal Tigers for a commanding 3-0 lead in their Challenge Cup group stage game in Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar.

Filipino-Spanish striker Angel Aldeguer Guirado is becoming a revelation for the Azkals after scoring 2 goals in the second half of the game taking place at the Aung San Stadium.

Guirado’s first goal came early in the second half after heading in a shot from Ian Araneta.

He followed this up by striking another goal in the in the 80th minute.
Earlier, Araneta scored the first goal in the 41st minute of the game after picking up a loose ball off Guirado.

The Bengal Tigers are frantically working their way back into the game. The Azkals, however, are bent on to secure the win and advance into the Challenge Cup finals in 2012.

The Filipino booters started out aggressively, launching a full attack against the Bengal Tigers.

This aggressive play resulted to an early injury stoppage that stretchered Bangladesh’s Zahid off the field.

Guirado and Chieffy Caligdong also made sure to keep the Bangladesh defense busy by closing in several goal attempts.

The Filipino squad also put up an excellent defense with team captain Aly Borromeo, Anton del Rosario and Ray Jonsson clipping Bangladesh’s wings.

The Azkals had a scare in the first half when Bangladesh nearly scored on a loose ball. Fortunately, Filipino-British keeper Neil Etheridge came out to clear the ball.



ABS-CBN News' Dyan Castillejo (@DYANCASTILLEJO) is live-tweeting the match. You can also follow the ongoing match on Twitter by using the hashtag #Azkals.

AFC CHALLENGE CUP STANDING

http://app.en.gooooal.com/soccer/statistic/standing.do?lid=2160&sid=2012

Gier to skip Azkals match vs Bangladesh

By Abac Cordero (philstar)

RANGOON – The Azkals will be one man short in tomorrow's do-or-die match with Bangladesh.

Rob Gier, the steady defender, flew home to England this afternoon to be with his wife, Emma, who is experiencing a delicate pregnancy.

The 30-year-old Gier arrived in Myanmar only last Sunday to help out with the team, and it had been agreed upon that he would play only to matches.

He played a key role in the team’s first two games here, draws against Myanmar and Palestine, and would have wanted to stay if not for the urgency back home.

Some of his teammates tried to convince him to stay.

“But I can’t. It wasn’t an easy decision because I had to choose. Is it the team or my wife?” said Gier shortly before leaving the hotel for the airport today.

“I would have loved to stay. But my wife needs me,” he said.

The Giers are expecting their first child.

“It was great of him to come here when there are priorities back home. He came here to boost the guys,” said Azkals team captain Aly Borromeo.

“He’s one of the most experienced players in the team and it’s always good to have him out there. I tried to convince him to stay but it was understandable,” he added.

Before leaving, Gier hoped that after two successive draws they will be able to nail the victory that would send the Azkals to the next round.

He looked back at the first two matches as matches that could have gone either way.

“I think those two games, we could have won. But those were two matches we could have also lost. We had chances in both games,” he said.

Coach Michael Weiss, for his part, said he has yet to decide whom to tap to take Gier’s position.

Philippine Azkals vs. Palestine fighters now underway

abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines -- The Challenge Cup group stage match between the Philippine Azkals and the Palestine Fighters is now underway.

The Azkals and the Fighters are currently facing off at the Youth Training Centre in Yangon, Myanmar.

The Azkals are wearing their white uniforms while their Palestinian foes are sporting red and green.

The Filipino booters are coming off a 1-1 draw with host nation Myanmar.

The Palestinians on the other hand enjoyed a 2-nil victory over Bangladesh.

The Azkals need to score a victory over the taller Palestinian squad to boost their chances for the Challenge Cup tournament proper in 2012.

According to ABS-CBN Sports, the Filipinos will be looking out for Palestine's No. 9 Murad Eleyan, who scored his country's 2 goals versus Bangladesh.

The Azkals starting line-up is composed of:

Neil Etheridge,
Rob Gier,
Anton Del Rosario,
Aly Borromeo,
James Younghusband,
Angel Aldeguer Guirado,
Simon Greatwich,
Jerry Lucena,
Ray Jonsson,
Chieffy Caligdong
and Ian Araneta.
ABS-CBN News' Dyan Castillejo (@DYANCASTILLEJO) is live-tweeting the match. You can also follow the ongoing match on Twitter by using the hashtag #Azkals.

Azkals expect tough game vs Palestinian Fighters

abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Azkals are expecting a tough match against a taller Palestinian team when they resume their Challenge Cup group stage matches on Wednesday.

ABS-CBN Sports correspondent Dyan Castillejo said in Mornings@ANC that football coach Hans Michael Weiss pushed the team hard during their practice on Tuesday as they prepare for their game against the Palestinian “Al Fusan” (The Fighters).

“On their rest day on Tuesday they practiced a lot of moves, although the team that played in the game versus Myanmar was really pushed. They did a lot of recovery workout,” said Castillejo.

The Azkals had their training at 3:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. in Manila) to get used to the Myanmar heat.

“We have a lot of Fil-European players who are coming in and also not used to the heat. Plus the team had also come from negative temperature in Mongolia,” she said.

She added that Azkals Filipino-British goalkeeper Neil Etheridge spent extra time working on goal blocking to make sure that no goal attempt will get past him this time.

The Filipino booters are scheduled to face the Palestinians at 3:30 p.m. Myanmar time.

Tall but slow

Castillejo described the Palestinian squad as a tall and experienced team, which defeated the Bangladesh Bengal Tigers in a separate group stage match, 2-0, last Monday.

“The Fighters”, however, are slower than the Myanmar White Angels that held the Azkals to a 1-1 draw.

Castillejo said Weiss hopes the Azkals can take advantage of the Palestinians’ slower pace.

“They're hoping to be able to outrun them, also make quick plays. Hopefully their aggressive play will be too much for the Palestinians,” said Castillejo.

Recuperating

Some of the Azkals are still recuperating from the slight injuries they have incurred during their game versus Myanmar.

Castillejo reported that:

Chieffy Caligdong was kicked in the hamstring;
Angel Aldeguer has cramps aside also from a slight muscle strain in his hamstring and calf;
Roel Gener has a hurt ankle;
Yancy Bersales has slight wounds in his neck and cheek (accidental kick from Myanmar goalkeeper); and
William Espinosa also has some wound on his shoulder.
She, however, said the Filipino squad is determined to beat the Palestinians.

The Azkals need to win 2 games in the group stage to secure a slot in the Challenge Cup tournament proper in 2012.

So far, they have a 1-1 draw with Myanmar.

Expected to make up the Azkals' starting lineup versus the Palestinian “Al Fusan” are:

Ray Jonsson
Aly Borromeo
Rob Gier
Anton del Rosario
Jerry Lucena
Simon Greatwich
James Younghusband
Angel Aldeguer
Chieffy Caligdong
Ian Araneta
Yancy Bersales
Studio 23 to air PH-Myanmar game

Studio 23 will air the Philippine Azkals' match against Myanmar on Wednesday night, ABS-CBN Sports said.

In its official Facebook page, ABS-CBN Sports said Monday's match will be shown on the free TV channel on Wednesday at 10:15 p.m.

A replay of the match will be shown on Thursday at 3 p.m. also on Studio 23.

ABS-CBN Sports, however, said the airing is still subject to some issues.

It stressed that the video quality of the match "is far from the best as it was shot by Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV)."

Azkals fight for survival against Palestine Wednesday

By FRANCIS SANTIAGO (Manila Bulletin)
March 22, 2011, 6:53pm

Games Wednesday
(Thuwunna Stadium, Rangoon)
5 p.m. — Philippine Azkals vs Palestine
7:30 p.m. — Myanmar vs Bangladesh

MANILA, Philippines — After blowing away a golden chance to win their opening game against Myamar, the Philippine Azkals are now in a must-win situation when they tangle with group leader Palestine in Day 2 of the group stage of the AFC Challenge Cup Wednesday at the Thuwunna Stadium in Rangoon.

The 5 p.m. match is of utmost importance for the Azkals, who need to win their remaining two games – the other against Bangladesh on Friday – to stay in the hunt for one of the two berths at stake in the main draw next year.

The Azkals, who were held to a 1-1 draw Monday night, are tied with Myanmar at second with one point each in the four-nation Group A.

Palestine, which romped to a 2-0 victory over Bangladesh also last Monday, leads the group with three points. A win is equivalent to three points while a draw one.

The top two teams at the end of the single round group elimination will advance, along with other top two finishers in three Groups B, C and D in the Elite 8 finals next year.

Myanmar takes on Bangladesh in the second game at 7:30 p.m.

A victory over Palestine will put the Filipinos on top of the group with four points although Myanmar can also forge a tie for the top spot should it dump Bangladesh in the second game. A defeat for the Filipinos and a win by Myanmar, however, will put the Philippines on the brink of elimination as Palestine will earn another three points entering the last playdate on Friday.

The Azkals found themselves on retreat for most part of the early goings opposite and aggresive Myanmar side until an opportunity presented itself when Kyaw Zin Htet was redcarded in the second half.

Filipino-British James Younghusband did not squander the opportunity, converting the resulting penalty kick in the 76th minute that sparked wild celebration among a tiny group of Filipinos in the 32,000-seater venue.

But the party proved to be short-lived.

Defender Khin Maung Lwin, benefiting from a free kick off a foul by Azkals’ Simon Greatwich, hit the equalizer deep in injury time.

It was a frustrating moment for the Azkals as the shot went around the wall and sped past goalie Neil Etheridge, who was successful thwarting a string of headers early on.

The Azkals are expected to keep a close watch on Murad Eleyan who scored a brace – in the 46th and 65th minutes – in the Palestine's latest win.

Meanwhile, the replay of PH-Myanmar match will be shown on Studio 23 from 10:15 p.m. to 1:15 a.m. Wednesday.

Match Insights: Philippines 1 - 1 Myanmar

Philippine Football
By CRAIG BURROWS and ROY MOORE

The Philippines drew a well-fought game with Myanmar in what was truly a game of two halves. The first half ended goalless after several chances for Myanmar who dominated the early exchanges. Pai Seo in particular shone for the hosts as he broke down the wings and played some great crosses which the Azkals found difficult to clear. He got through himself a few times but he shot over on each occasion when more composure could have given Myanmar the lead.

In the second half, though, the Azkals really fought back and dominated until the final few minutes. The turning point was when Guirado played a fantastic chipped through ball for substitute Barsales to run onto. Through on goal he was clattered by the onrushing goalkeeper who was sent off for the foul. James Younghusband converted the penalty as the crowd roared putting the Azkals in front with twenty minutes left.

The Azkals pushed forward and nearly scored a second to kill the game, but in the last minute Myanmar won a free-kick from 25 yards out which was laid off and drilled into the corner by K M Lwin. Soon after the final whistle went and the local fans chanted and cheered as both teams pondered what could have been.
Pre-match observations

Before the game the Azkals seemed relaxed at the hotel, playing keep-uppy in the lobby and nearly breaking several vases at the reception desk. Even goalkeeper Neil Etheridge showed his skill, juggling the ball in the air. The team went on to the stadium to warm up and hear from their Manager and Coach but the journey itself was interesting. On one side of the road was a parking lot in progress and a golf resort while the other had beautiful natural scenery and lakes, displaying the development and beauty of Myanmar.

At the stadium the teams warmed up to a great reception from the local crowd. Respecting a one-minute’s silence for the victims of the Japanese earthquake, the national anthems were played and the game began with great expectations.

The Philippines began with the earlier predicted 4-2-3-1 formation but both teams were cagy, battling hard in the midfield for the ball and the goalkeepers were called into action early taking crosses into their areas comfortably. But it was Myanmar who found their rhythm first as Pai Soe was sent clear after just 9 minutes, spurning the chance by hitting it wide of the onrushing Etheridge and the goal with his left foot.
Strong first half for Myanmar

After that it was one-way traffic as Myanmar broke down the Philippine defence with fluid football, through balls and crosses sent Pai Soe and Min Min Tun through on goal. Fortunately for the Azkals both players shot over as Myanmar rued their missed opportunities.

The Philippines showed flashes of counter-attacking football though, Guirado particularly looked classy as he took on a player to cross in for Chieffy, but the goalkeeper managed to dive on the ball first. But when the half-time whistle blew the Philippines went into the break relieved they were still on level terms.
Azkals push forward in the second half

Whatever Coach Weiss and Manager Palami said at half-time, though, worked magnificently as they dominated the early exchanges in the second half. Guirado particularly threatened on the right wing, coming across to take on his man and threaten Myanmar’s goal.

The Azkals continued to push but couldn’t manage to find the killer ball, several promising chances breaking down in the final third. That was until Guirado played a wonderful chipped through ball for Barsales to run onto fifteen minutes before the end. The goalkeeper rushed out and clattered into Barsales and was given a red card for blocking the goal-scoring opportunity.

Barsales had to be replaced but James Younghusband stepped up to coolly slot the ball into the bottom right corner past the outstretched goalkeeper.

The Azkals pushed on with their lead looking to kill the game and almost did several times as Guirado showed great class to take it past several defenders at once and set up chances. Tuason had, replaced the injured Barsales, who was himself a substitute for Chieffy after he was stretchered off, and he, managed to beat a couple of players before shooting straight at the goalkeeper, but he may have been better passing to one of the other two players in better positions.

In a rare foray forward, however, Myanmar managed to win a freekick in stoppage time for a foul 25 yards from goal. Cleverly worked round the wall it was laid off to K M Lwin who shot low and hard past the despairing Neil Etheridge, who had done well to keep the Philippines in the game in the first half.
Post-match comments

After the game Myanmar’s Serbian coach Zivadinovic Milan fumed at the team’s performance and apologised for not delivering a win. In the first half Myanmar should have been winning by a “minimum 3-0” he said, clearly annoyed as he declared that he was “not happy with the result”. His warning to the players sounded as he said that “If the players play like they did in the second half, I will get young players from the Olympic team, believe me”.

Following the Myanmar Coach, Azkal Coach Michael Weiss did admit that in “in the first half Myanmar could have been away from us, maybe 2-0”. Disappointed at the late timing of the equaliser he conceded “in the end it’s the correct result” as both teams dominated half of the game in which they had a multitude of chances to score.
Reflections and expectations

The way the Philippines played in the second half will bring great optimism to the fans, though, as if they perform like that in the remaining two games they should qualify from the group stages. There are some worries about players as Chieffy Caligdong came off injured and Bersales, who won the penalty, was also immediately substituted following the foul. As news comes in we will update you on this situation.

It seems a fair result for a game of two halves. Myanmar dominated the first and had several great chances to score but couldn’t compose themselves in front of goal. The hosts of the AFC Challenge Cup Group Stage then found themselves on the back-foot as the Philippines came out fighting and showed their true spirit in the second half. Winning and converting the penalty it looked like the Philippines had done enough to snatch the win against 10-man Myanmar until the stoppage time freekick from Lwin equalised leaving the Azkals with no time to find a winner.

Though no-one won, and some feel like they should have, there is a lot for both teams to take away from this game as we enter the week of the Challenge Cup group stages. Now both teams will reflect on what went well and what they can improve on as they both have great chances to qualify for the next round. Credit must also go to the fans of Myanmar and the Philippines who were all very respectful and contributed to a great game of football as well as the Myanmar Football Federation and everyone involved in officiating the game.
Internet difficulties

A final word about coverage here, it must be noted that internet is very slow and is cut off at times meaning that coverage on everyone’s live twitter coverage had frequent gaps. We thank you for understanding the difficult nature of the reporting and if you wish to receive the possible live updates for the remaining games against Bangladesh and Palestine then follow @craigburrows and @roymondous on twitter.

pinoyfootball.com's Man of the Match
Philippines: Angel Guirado Aldeguer
Myanmar: Pai Soe

Myanmar denies win for Philippine Azkals in 1-1 draw

By Jojo Malig, abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines - Myanmar scored a late goal in stoppage time to deny the Philippine Azkals a victory and precious 3 points in their match on Monday.

James Younghusband's penalty around the 70th-minute mark earlier seemed enough for the Azkals to clip the tournament hosts.

The Azkals' opponents were reduced to 10 men after one of the Myanmar players was sent off.

However, with clock winding down, the Myanmarese pulled off an escape.

Before the Philippines scored its goal, Neil Etheridge led the Azkals in fending off Myanmar's attacks.

Etheridge was a commanding presence inside the box in the first period, snuffing out at least 7 goalscoring attempts by the Azkals' opponents.

The Philippines, however, had a penalty shout denied by referee.

Myanmar dominated possession in the first half, with the Philippines pinned back on defense.

The hosts used their wingers, particularly Pai Soe, to create problems for the Azkals.

Philippines gaffer Hans Michael Weiss earlier said that the Azkals will use a defense-minded and counterattacking ploy because the match is being played on Myanmar’s home turf.

After missing the Mongolia game, Fulham's Etheridge was called up to the starting 11 to reinforce the back line.

Filipino-Spanish striker Angel Guirado Aldeguer also made his debut in the team.

The others in Philippines' starting XI were Rob Gier, Anton Del Rosario, Roel Gener, Ray Jonsson, Simon Greatwich, Alexander Borromeo, James Younghusband, Chieffy Caligdong, and Ian Araneta.

On the substitute's bench were Sacapaño, Espinosa, Hinrichsen, Margarse, Sabio, and Tuason.

Weiss pulled out Araneta at the start of the second half, replacing him with striker Yanti Barsales.

The match kicked off the Azkals' AFC Challenge Cup group stage campaign.

The Philippines last met Myanmar in the AFF Suzuki Cup. The match ended in a goalless draw.

ABS-CBN and the Philippine Football Federation tried to get permission to broadcast live from Myanmar.

However, despite repeated requests, Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV), the government station which will cover the event, did not get the permit from higher authorities to beam the matches live via satellite to the Philippines.

"Negotiations are now underway for the broadcast rights and tape copies of MRTV's coverage of the Azkals' matches in Yangon," ABS-CBN Sports said.

FINAL SCORE: AFC CHALLENGE CUP GROUP STAGE - PHILIPPINES 1 - MYANMAR - 1

DYANCASTILLEJO DYAN CASTILLEJO
ball handling of miyanamar very good getting through our defense

DYANCASTILLEJO DYAN CASTILLEJO
31 minutes passed myanmar so many near goal...phils barely 2

cedelfpt cedelf tupas
Han Win Aung dispossessed by Chieffy again.bt chance goes up in smoke.and Aung gets a jeers frm home crowd.30th min 0-0 #azkals


cedelfpt cedelf tupas
angel floats a dangerous cross after a 20-yard run wd stepovers.great skill bt no1 der to finish.32nd min 0-0

DYANCASTILLEJO DYAN CASTILLEJO
anghel had 1 from outside but too far...myanmar is fast

DYANCASTILLEJO DYAN CASTILLEJO
anghel fighting for ball but lost it...ball mostly with myanmar but we're trying

cedelfpt cedelf tupas
no clear cut chance for #azkals yet.33rd min 0-0

cedelfpt cedelf tupas
gener beaten on right flank by d skiper Myo Min Tun.Ray clears dangerous cross.35th min 0-0 #Azkals

DYANCASTILLEJO DYAN CASTILLEJO
thank GOd!!!!!another miss but almost goal so near ...ball was high over goal corner now myanmar

HALF TIME - SCORE PHILIPPINES - 0 MYANMAR - 0

SECOND HALF - STARTED ALREADY

DYANCASTILLEJO DYAN CASTILLEJO
2nd half just started

DYANCASTILLEJO
@cedelfpt here having connection problems.ht change yanti for ian

craigburrows Craig Burrows
#pinoyfootball forgive the slow coverage, internet keeps crashing and blocking tweets. Barsales replaces Araneta for the restart.

craigburrows
#pinoyfootball back online and the game begins. Both teams battling hard for the ball but lacking the final ball

craigburrows
long throws have been dangerous all day but the Philippines clear and have a penalty shout denied.

craigburrows
Borromeo cuts out a pass and the throw-in is cleared. Myanmar shoot from distance but Etheridge watches it wide

craigburrows
l #Azkals are more attackive minded now and put in a few crosses but they're cleared. Guirado chests down for James YH but saved

craigburrows Craig Burrows
#pinoyfootball Pai Soe breaks again and puts in another cross. Philippines clear and win a free kick in their half. #Azkals more positive

craigburrows
internet is holding up and chants run round the stadium. H W Aung (DF) is replaced by S M OO (ST) - Myanmar look to attack.

craigburrows
Pai Soe goes down the line and puts in a dangerous cross. #Azkals clear and it's a Myanmar throw.

craigburrows
l Cleared by the Phils and a long ball upfield is picked up by Myanmar who bring it forward. Their attack filters out though

DYANCASTILLEJO
GOAL! Noe Philippine 1-0 Myanmar

craigburrows Craig Burrows
James Younghusband scores penalty!!!! 1-0 Philippines!!!!

Myanmar got a last minute goal.

@gmanews: Game 1 of the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup Group Round between PHL & MYA ends in a draw 1-1. #Azkals take on Palestine (3/23) & Bangladesh (3/25).

GOAL BY J. Younghusband - Philippines - 1 Myanmar - 0

Philippines - 1 Myanmar - 0

GOAL BY J. Younghusband

10 Players left for Myanmar, they got a red card after J. Younghusband made one goal.

PHILIPPINES VS MYANMAR GAME UPDATE - from Tweets.

DYANCASTILLEJO DYAN CASTILLEJO
ball handling of miyanamar very good getting through our defense

DYANCASTILLEJO DYAN CASTILLEJO
31 minutes passed myanmar so many near goal...phils barely 2

cedelfpt cedelf tupas
Han Win Aung dispossessed by Chieffy again.bt chance goes up in smoke.and Aung gets a jeers frm home crowd.30th min 0-0 #azkals


cedelfpt cedelf tupas
angel floats a dangerous cross after a 20-yard run wd stepovers.great skill bt no1 der to finish.32nd min 0-0

DYANCASTILLEJO DYAN CASTILLEJO
anghel had 1 from outside but too far...myanmar is fast

DYANCASTILLEJO DYAN CASTILLEJO
anghel fighting for ball but lost it...ball mostly with myanmar but we're trying

cedelfpt cedelf tupas
no clear cut chance for #azkals yet.33rd min 0-0

cedelfpt cedelf tupas
gener beaten on right flank by d skiper Myo Min Tun.Ray clears dangerous cross.35th min 0-0 #Azkals

DYANCASTILLEJO DYAN CASTILLEJO
thank GOd!!!!!another miss but almost goal so near ...ball was high over goal corner now myanmar

HALF TIME - SCORE PHILIPPINES - 0 MYANMAR - 0

SECOND HALF - STARTED ALREADY

DYANCASTILLEJO DYAN CASTILLEJO
2nd half just started

DYANCASTILLEJO
@cedelfpt here having connection problems.ht change yanti for ian

craigburrows Craig Burrows
#pinoyfootball forgive the slow coverage, internet keeps crashing and blocking tweets. Barsales replaces Araneta for the restart.

craigburrows
#pinoyfootball back online and the game begins. Both teams battling hard for the ball but lacking the final ball

craigburrows
long throws have been dangerous all day but the Philippines clear and have a penalty shout denied.

craigburrows
Borromeo cuts out a pass and the throw-in is cleared. Myanmar shoot from distance but Etheridge watches it wide

craigburrows
l #Azkals are more attackive minded now and put in a few crosses but they're cleared. Guirado chests down for James YH but saved

craigburrows Craig Burrows
#pinoyfootball Pai Soe breaks again and puts in another cross. Philippines clear and win a free kick in their half. #Azkals more positive

craigburrows
internet is holding up and chants run round the stadium. H W Aung (DF) is replaced by S M OO (ST) - Myanmar look to attack.

craigburrows
Pai Soe goes down the line and puts in a dangerous cross. #Azkals clear and it's a Myanmar throw.

craigburrows
l Cleared by the Phils and a long ball upfield is picked up by Myanmar who bring it forward. Their attack filters out though

DYANCASTILLEJO
GOAL! Noe Philippine 1-0 Myanmar

SECOND HALF IS ABOUT TO START!

HALF TIME SCORE

PHILIPPINES - 0 MYANMAR - 0

HALF TIME SCORE - PHILIPPINES - 0 MYANMAR - 0

HALF TIME SCORE

PHILIPPINES - 0 MYANMAR - 0

But the game is dominated by Myanmar.
If not with Neil Etheridge saves, We could be six feet below the ground.

PHILIPPINES VS MYANMAR GAME UPDATE - from cedelfpt cedelf tupas and DYAN CASTILLEJO's Tweet.

http://twitter.com/#!/DYANCASTILLEJO
http://twitter.com/#!/cedelfpt

DYANCASTILLEJO DYAN CASTILLEJO
ball handling of miyanamar very good getting through our defense

DYANCASTILLEJO DYAN CASTILLEJO
31 minutes passed myanmar so many near goal...phils barely 2

cedelfpt cedelf tupas
Han Win Aung dispossessed by Chieffy again.bt chance goes up in smoke.and Aung gets a jeers frm home crowd.30th min 0-0 #azkals


cedelfpt cedelf tupas
angel floats a dangerous cross after a 20-yard run wd stepovers.great skill bt no1 der to finish.32nd min 0-0

DYANCASTILLEJO DYAN CASTILLEJO
anghel had 1 from outside but too far...myanmar is fast

DYANCASTILLEJO DYAN CASTILLEJO
anghel fighting for ball but lost it...ball mostly with myanmar but we're trying

cedelfpt cedelf tupas
no clear cut chance for #azkals yet.33rd min 0-0

cedelfpt cedelf tupas
gener beaten on right flank by d skiper Myo Min Tun.Ray clears dangerous cross.35th min 0-0 #Azkals

DYANCASTILLEJO DYAN CASTILLEJO
thank GOd!!!!!another miss but almost goal so near ...ball was high over goal corner now myanmar

PHILIPPINES VS MYANMAR GAME UPDATE! - Azkals' Etheridge keeping Myanmar at bay

By Jojo Malig, abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines (3rd UPDATE) - It's still 0-0 in Myanmar as Philippine goalkeeper Neil Etheridge has been a commanding presence inside the box, snuffing out 7 goalscoring attempts by the Azkals' opponents.

The match, which entered the 33rd minute as of posting, kicked off the Azkals' AFC Challenge Cup group stage campaign.

Myanmar is dominating the match in the early minutes of the first half, with the Philippines pinned back on defense.

Philippine gaffer Hans Michael Weiss earlier said that the Azkals will use a counterattacking ploy because the match is being played on Myanmar’s home ground.

Fulham's Etheridge was earlier called up to the starting 11 to reinforce the defense.

Filipino-Spanish striker Angel Guirado Aldeguer also makes his debut in the team.

The others in Philippines' starting XI are Rob Gier, Anton Del Rosario, Roel Gener, Ray Jonsson, Simon Greatwich, Alexander Borromeo, James Younghusband, Chieffy Caligdong, and Ian Araneta.

On the substitute's bench are Sacapaño, Barsales, Espinosa, Hinrichsen, Margarse, Sabio, and Tuason.

The Azkals last met Myanmar in the AFF Suzuki Cup. The match ended in a goalless draw.



ABS-CBN News' Dyan Castillejo (@DYANCASTILLEJO) is live-tweeting the match.
Football fans can listen to live updates on dzMM Teleradyo on the Internet.

You can also follow the ongoing match on Twitter by using the hashtag #Azkals.

PHILLIPINES VS MYANMAR!

With Sunny Weather, Azkals Confident vs Myanmar

ABS-CBN NEWS

YANGON - Filipino-Europeans have arrived in Myanmar for the Philippine Azkals' game against host Myanmar on Monday afternoon.

Star goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, Rob Gear, and Fil-German Patrick Hinrichsen arrived Sunday evening for the AFC Challenge Cup group stage match at 5 p.m. today.

The Azkals are confident they will do better than their performance against Mongolia since Myanmar and the Philippines both enjoy tropical climate.

Playing under freezing weather in Ulan Bator, the Azkals lost 2-1 to Mongolia last week.

The weather forecast in the capital of Yangon is mainly sunny with temperature at 35 degrees Celsius.

The Azkals were able to practice once at the 40,000-seater stadium.

"Ok naman ang team dito, nakakakain sila ng mabuti, maganda ang kanilang team spirit," ABS-CBN's Dyan Castillejo reported from Myanmar.

Football is popular in Myanmar, and the stadium is expected to get filled.

The Azkals will play three games in Myanmar.

On Wednesday, they will face Bangladesh, while on Friday, they will be up against Palestine.

In order to qualify for the AFC Challenge Cup next year, the Philippines has to win at least 2 games. -Report from Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News

Azkals Battle Vengeful Myanmar Today

Cedelf P. Tupas (PDI)

RANGOON—A familiar rival looking for payback awaits the Philippines on Monday when the Azkals kick off their campaign in the group stage qualifying of the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup at the Thuwana Stadium here.

Myanmar, an Asian football powerhouse in the 1960s and ’70s which has fallen by the wayside even in the Southeasy Asian level in recent years, collides with the Azkals at 3:30 p.m. (5 p.m. in Manila).

The Philippines and Myanmar, which is expected to be backed by 20,000 supporters, have played each other three times in the past seven years—all in the AFC Suzuki Cup—with the Burmese winning once in 2004 and the Filipinos forcing scoreless draws in the last two.

Their last meeting ended in a tie in Nam Dinh, Vietnam, last December, a result that propelled the Azkals to an unprecedented semifinal appearance in the AFF Suzuki Cup, and booted the Burmese out of contention.

A win will not only put the Azkals closer to the Challenge Cup main tournament next year, but also temporarily put to rest doubts that the Filipinos have at least caught up with or surpassed Burma’s level.

“It’s going to be a tough game,” said skipper Aly Borromeo. “I heard there’s going to be 20,000 fans there.

“The fact that they have to qualify now for the Suzuki Cup because of us is a big blow to them and they want to make a statement.”

The Azkals face Palestine on Wednesday and Bangladesh on Friday for their final group match in the event participated in by emerging football nations in Asia.

They need at least two wins to secure a slot in next year’s final tournament, which will dangle one spot to the 2015 Asian Cup, the continent’s centerpiece event, in Australia.

The Filipinos are expected to revert to a conservative approach and wait to catch the Burmese side on the counter-attack.

German coach Hans Michael Weiss is expected to make significant changes to the squad that lost to Mongolia, 1-2, in Ulan Bator last week with goalkeeper Neil Etheridge and defender Rob Gier returning to the squad.

Talks are rife that Borromeo, who has played centerback in the past, will slip into a defensive midfield to allow new recruit Angel Aldeguer Guirado to freely roam as the attacking midfielder.

Anton del Rosario will move from rightback to cover Borromeo’s position at the center, while Roel Gener is expected to switch to rightback, playing behind James Younghusband.

Ray Jonsson, whom Weiss considered as the standout performer for the Azkals against Mongolia, will return to his leftback spot, behind Chieffy Caligdong. Simon Greatwich could play the other midfield spot for a 4-5-1 formation, leaving Ian Araneta alone up top.

Phil Younghusband, the country’s top scorer, will miss the group stage because of a pulled hamstring he sustained against Mongolia.

“I think we want to take a precautionary approach,” said Borromeo. “It’s a safer approach not defensive. On paper, we’re still strong.”

Caligdong said the Azkals remain underdogs in the clash despite ranking 10 places higher than Myanmar in the Fifa rankings.

“We’re still the underdogs here, but we can show that what happened in the Suzuki Cup wasn’t a fluke,” Caligdong said in Filipino.

For Del Rosario, playing in a hostile environment, should only add to the Azkals’ motivation.

“We’ve proven in the past that we can play in front of hostile crowds and this will not be different against Myanmar,” said Del Rosario, noting the 2-nil win against Vietnam in Hanoi.

Myanmar’s fiery coach Milan Zivadinovic is confident that the home side can capitalize on the home crowd to beat the Azkals.

“We expect to advance,” the controversial Serbian mentor who once lost a case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport and was forced to pay $125,000 for breaching his contract when he was hired as Iraq coach seven years ago.

Zivadinovic is only on his third month as coach of the national side, but believes he has transformed Myanmar into an even stronger force in the Asian level.

“We have a strong, disciplined team and we can beat teams here,” said Zivadinovic.

Airing of Azkals' match dim

Philstar

MANILA, Philippines - Here’s sad news to diehard fans of the Azkals.

There’s a strong possibility that the Azkals’ matches in the AFC Challenge Cup group stage in Myanmar this coming week won’t be beamed live to the Philippines.

The Philippine Football Federation yesterday came out with a statement that the television coverage of the Azkals matches against Myanmar tomorrow, Bangladesh on Wednesday and Palestine on Friday will not be seen on TV.

The Azkals advanced to the group stage at the expense of Mongolia, which lost to the Filipinos, 2-0, last Feb. 9 in Bacolod, but won, 2-1, in their home turf last Monday.

By virtue of a 3-2 aggregate score, the Azkals moved on, and in Myanmar would be hoping to top their group or land second at least to make it to the AFC Challenge Cup final eight scheduled next year.

Azkals fans are definitely hoping to catch the action live on TV, as they did with the team played Indonesia twice last December, and then the Mongolians.

But there’s been problems securing the TV coverage.

“In their desire to telecast the Azkals’ matches in the Union of Myanmar in the Philippines as well to all the Filipinos in the world via TFC, Philippine Football Federation (PFF) and media partner ABS-CBN have been continuously communicating with the Myanmar Football Federation (MFF) and other agencies since March 3.

“As of the end of office hours Friday in Yangon, however, MRTV, the Myanmar government’s television arm and official coveror of the football matches, has not yet secured the required permit to beam the game live via satellite. The next update from MRTV is expected Monday morning.

“If a live satellite feed would not be possible, the PFF and ABS-CBN shall exhaust all means to secure a tape of the coverage and play it back at the earliest possible time,” the PFF statement said.

PFF, ABS-CBN in talks with Myanmar for live airing of Azkals game

abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines – In their desire to telecast the Azkals’ matches in the Union of Myanmar in the Philippines as well as to all the Filipinos in the world via TFC, Philippine Football Federation (PFF) and media partner ABS-CBN have been continuously communicating with the Myanmar Football Federation (MFF) and other agencies since March 3.

As of the end of office hours Friday in Yangon, however, MRTV, the Myanmar government’s television arm and official convenor of the football matches, has not yet secured the required permit to beam the game live via satellite.

The next update from MRTV is expected on Monday morning.

If a live satellite feed would not be possible, the PFF and ABS-CBN shall exhaust all means to secure a tape of the coverage and play it back at the earliest possible time.

Lucena, Gier boost Azkals in Rangoon

Cedelf P. Tupas (PDI)

MANILA---The Philippine football team got a massive boost on the eve of its departure for Myanmar yesterday as Filipino-Danish midfielder Jerry Lucena and Filipino-British defender Rob Gier confirmed their appearance in the group stage of the AFC Challenge Cup in Rangoon.

Lucena, one of the players who have long been in the Azkals’ wish list, is expected to play in the last two games of the group stage against Palestine and Bangladesh, while Gier will link up with the rest of the squad today in Bangkok, where they will take the flight to the Burmese capital.

A veteran of the Championship, the second-tier league in Britain, Gier will only play the first two games—against Myanmar on Monday and Bangladesh on Wednesday.

Hopes are also high that Jason de Jong will be able to make it to Myanmar, after Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta appealed to the Indonesian Football Federation to convince De Jong’s club, Persiba Balikpapan, to release the Filipino-Dutch midfielder for the tournament.

“I think we will be coming in with the strongest team possible,” said team manager Dan Palami. “It’s a little difficult with Gier and Lucena only playing two games, but we leave knowing that the prayers and aspirations of the country are behind us.”

Born to a Filipino father and a Danish mother, the 30-year-old Lucena, who played for Denmark in the Under-19 and Under-20 levels, was earlier ruled out for the tournament after picking up an injury while training with his club Aarhus in the Danish first division.

Attacking midfielder

Lucena can play the attacking midfield position, considered one of the squad’s weak spots in the absence of Chris Greatwich, the team’s top scorer in last year’s AFC Suzuki Cup.

Also back for the group stage is goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, defender David Basa and Ricardo Becite, while Yannick Tuason, William Guerridon Espinosa and Angel Aldeguer, the tall Spanish striker expected to fill the void left by the injured Phil Younghusband, have been called up for the first time in the tournament.

Meanwhile, the PFF and Suzuki Philippines have formalized their partnership for the staging of the PFF Suzuki Cup Under-23 Championship, where 26 teams are expected to vie.

PFF president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta and Satoshi Ochida of Suzuki signed the memorandum of agreement making Suzuki the tournament’s sponsor for the next three years.

Know your Azkals: The Filipino in Anton

By MAV C. GONZALES (GMA News)

When Anton Del Rosario walked inside the coffee shop with his French-Filipina girlfriend, you would honestly think you landed on an episode of The Hills. But don’t let the foreign looks and American twang mislead you. Anton is just as Filipino as we are – well almost.

Anton’s Fil-Am dad visited Manila after the Vietnam War. Within three weeks, he met Anton’s mom, courted her and married her. They moved to San Francisco where Anton was born and raised along with his brothers.

“I grew up in San Francisco, but the Philippines is my home too," he says.

Anton has never lost touch with his roots here in Manila. His family used to visit the Philippines twice or thrice a year for vacation. He even played for De La Salle University’s football team for a year.

Although he trained with the Azkals for the 2000 World Cup Qualifiers, it wasn’t until the 2004 Tiger Cup that he seriously committed to playing for the country.

“It was the first tournament I joined with Aly, Ian, Chieffy and Chris. In 2004, we beat East Timor. It’s my fondest memory in the Azkals because it was the team’s first win in like 12 years," he says.

Anton started playing football when he was six-years-old. He’s 29 now and his love for the sport has not waned. (By the way, when I asked his age, he said it’s “something you should never ask a guy" but revealed it anyway.)

For all the good things football is, he says he hates the pointless running.

“I hate running for no reason. I mean, if there’s a ball in front of me, I would understand it. But just running around aimlessly? I really hate that," he quips.

Well all that running keeps him in shape and has already gotten him in teams such as Notre Dame, Belmont, Kaya and Harmony. Not really “aimless" if you look at it.

Girlfriend, kids and partying

Anton’s been here in Manila since December 2009. He met his girlfriend Laetitia through common friends and they’ve been together for over a year now.

Laetitia says he’s really “makulit" and sweet. He’s done a lot of romantic things for her, but her favorite is the time he surprised her with a huge bouquet of flowers in the office.

Anton also spends a lot of time with his family especially now that his mom and three brothers reside here in Manila too. If ever you’ve seen photos of him with little kids, those aren’t his children – they’re his nieces and nephew.

“I really love children. I actually want to have four or five kids of my own," he says and turns to his girlfriend for approval. She just smiles and nods.

But for now, Anton is more bent on putting up a business here in the Philippines and squeezing in a party every now and then.

“If I had to quit football, I’d probably be taking up law," he says with utter confidence but then bursts into laughter.

“No actually, I’d probably be partying in the US."

Off the pitch, he describes himself as very friendly and social. In fact, two of his favorite places here in the Philippines are Boracay and Fiamma. Very party-esque indeed.

How Filipino is Anton?

Anton says he’s in tune with his Filipino side, especially when it comes to food. He’s been living here for a pretty long time after all.

He says lumpiang shanghai is the best dish ever. However, he has no idea about Filipino celebrities (except his teammates who already have celeb status here), TV shows or movies.

“Oh wait, there was this one movie that I watched back in 1995. I don’t remember the title but it was hilarious!" he says.

I asked if he understood the movie.

“Actually, no. I sat through it but I didn’t understand it," he laughs.

But the most pressing question is: does he know the Philippine National Anthem?

“I know parts of it," he smiles.

“I think we’re the only team where during the games, half the team doesn’t know the national anthem," he adds and grins at the irony.

Well, Anton and the other Fil-foreigners in the team have a couple of days to have the national anthem memorized before their match against Myanmar. And don’t worry about the twang Anton, we know you’re Filipino deep down inside. -- OMG, GMA News

Preliminary success boost for Philippines - Report from FIFA

(FIFA)

Playing away in arctic conditions with the temperature approaching ten below zero is a test for any team. But when the side in question has come from the sunshine and humidity of a tropical country, then the challenge is enormous regardless of the opponent. Such conditions greeted the Philippines when they played in Mongolia on Tuesday in the second leg qualifying play-off for the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup.

Adding further to the hardship for the south-east Asians was the altitude in Ulan Bator, with the match staged at the MFF Football Centre, some 1,400 metres above sea level. The Azkals had already undergone a tumultuous build-up being in Japan last Friday when the disastrous earthquake struck.

The visitors held a 2-0 lead from last month’s first leg, and when midfielder James Younghusband opened the scoring after just three minutes the Filipinos appeared on their way to a comfortable victory. However Mongolia drew themselves level on 21 minutes courtesy of captain Lumbengarav Donorov, and thirteen minutes later they hit the front on the night when Garidmagnai Bayasgalan converted a spot-kick. With a berth in the tournament’s qualifying group on the line, Mongolia went on the offensive after the restart, but the Philippines remained resilient to hang for a 3-2 aggregate victory.

With their initial goal achieved, coach Michael Weiss could finally breathe a sigh of relief. “It was indeed a hard game for us,” the 46-year-old German told FIFA.com. “The cold weather did take its toll and our players found it difficult to play as well and as fast as in the previous game. This largely reduced our potency in the front.”

“Our opponents were aware of this and they made the best of their advantages to give us a hard time. Capitalising on their physical edge they threatened us using long-ball techniques and although they managed to score twice, our players kept their cool to hold them off for the necessary result,” he added.

Next building block awaits
With the progression sealed, the Azkals, though, are hardly allowed time for celebration as they must gear up for next week's qualifying group campaign, where they will do battle alongside hosts Myanmar, as well as Palestine and Bangladesh, with the top-two finishers advancing to the second-tier Asian finals itself. For coach Weiss, the play-off against Mongolia provided his side with a good chance to sharpen their form and gain experience despite key striker Phil Younghusband suffering a hamstring injury during the game.

"It will be hard for Younghusband to recover in a few days to be fit for the opener but the good thing is that the team has begun to gel well after the two games with Mongolia. Also we have not only our overseas-based players but also several local youngsters to reinforce the team so we have got some good preparation for the competition."


The assignment ahead is formidable but based on our recent performances in both matches, and also in training, we are optimistic.Philippines coach Michael Weiss


Philippines open up against Myanmar on Monday, with whom they fought out a goalless draw in last December's AFF Suzuki Cup. Next awaiting them is Palestine before a final contest against Bangladesh.

“The opening match is important for us as Myanmar are a good team with skilful and pacy players. Palestine should be a hard team to compete against, while Bangladesh represents a major force in south Asia. But despite all this I am confident we have the players capable of matching our opponents,” he added.

Philippines have largely remained out of the Asian limelight, with previous attempts to qualify for the AFC Challenge Cup ending in failure. Understandably Weiss is now seeking to create history with the Azkals by taking the team to their first Asian finals. "The assignment ahead is formidable but based on our recent performances in both matches, and also in training, we are optimistic. We will do our utmost to fulfil our mission.”

No rest for Azkals after ousting Mongolia

(ABS-CBN)

MANILA, Philippines -- A day after arriving from Mongolia, the Philippine Azkals immediately resumed training for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup group stage competition.

The team held their practice at the University of Makati.

The Azkals will be leaving on Saturday for Myanmar where the group stage competition will take place.

Filipino-British striker Phil Younghusband will not be able to join the team because of a hamstring injury.

“Meron akong hamstring sa tear sa likod ng hita. Sobrang disappointed ako, sobrang malungkot ako [dahil] sa hindi pwedeng maglaro sa Myanmar,” said Younghusband.

He needs to undergo a 3-week therapy before he can join the team again.

Missing Younghusband

His team mate, Simon Greatwich, said the Azkals will sorely miss Younghusband’s presence in the games.

“It (injury) definitely has a major impact on the team because he's one of our most attacking threats in his ability to score goals,” said Greatwich.

But Azkals coach Hans Michael Weiss is confident that the team will make it to the Top 2 of the group stage because of the team’s latest additions.

Joining the team are Filipino-Spanish striker Angel Aldeguer, Filipino-Danish Jerry Lucena, and Filipino-Germans William Espinosa Guerridon and Patrick Hinrichsen.

The Philippines goes up against Myanmar on Monday, Palestine on Wednesday, and Bangladesh on Friday.

The Myanmar White Angels are currently ranked No. 161 in FIFA’s world standings.

The Bangladesh Bengal Tigers are ranked No. 174, while Palestine’s Al-Fusan (The Fighters) are ranked 178th.

The Philippines, ranked No. 151, has the highest ranking in their group bracket.

The Azkals need to win 2 of their 3 matches to enter the main draw of the AFC Challenge Cup in 2012.

Azkals to get back on track in Challenge Cup Group Stage

by rick olivares

When the Philippine Men’s National Football Team joins the group stage of the Asian Football Confederations Challenge Cup in Myanmar from March 21-25, 2011, they know that they cannot take any opponent lightly. After a 2-0 shellacking of Mongolia in the Philippines’ home game last February 9, the Blue Wolves, as the Mongolian team is known by, bowed out of the competition but not before returning the favor with a 2-1 win.

“It was difficult playing in the cold,” said team skipper Aly Borromeo. “We all had problems sweating.”

“Ayaw namin gawin excuse yung lamig pero nahirapan kami talaga,” expounded striker Ian Araneta who has hit a scoring drought since his hat trick in last year’s Suzuki Cup qualifiers where the Philippines thrashed Timor Leste 5-0. “Malaking epekto talaga ang lamig sa akin. Ang hirap huminga at sobrang ginaw. Hindi nga ako pinapapawisan. Pero hindi naman yun excuse. Sad lang talaga ako kasi hindi tayo nanalo. Pero ganun pa man pasok pa rin sa group stage. Mas maganda pa rin sana kung nanalo.”

The Azkals advanced via 3-2 aggregate score but returned home to nurse its bruised pride and with the possibility that striker Phil Younghusband might not be fit enough for the next stage.

The nationals play host Myanmar, Bangladesh and Palestine which are ranked 161, 174, and 177 in the world football rankings by FIFA. It is by no means easy pickings for the Philippines. The national squad has only one win against Myanmar in recent memory (a 3-2 victory) and they certainly cannot afford to step onto the pitch with a massive dose of overconfidence when they play two countries in Palestine and Bangladesh that the AFC has placed in the emerging nations bracket of the competition. “Wala kami ka-alam alam about Bangladesh and Palestine,” said Philippine striker Ian Araneta who has hit a scoring drought since his hat trick in the Suzuki Cup qualifiers. “Alam lang namin very physical sila.”

The last time the Azkals made it deep into this tournament was in 2008 when the Qualification Group B was played in Iloilo City. Included in that group were Tajikistan, Bhutan, and Brunei.

The Philippines beat Brunei 1-0 with the solitary goal coming from then skipper Emelio “Chieffy” Caligdong. The Azkals played to a scoreless draw with Tajikistan then went on to beat Bhutan 3-0 with goals from Chad Gould, Phil Younghusband, and an own goal by defender Pema Rinchen. Despite the 2-win and 1-draw slate, the home team failed to advance on account of the superior goals advantage by Tajikistan that finished with a +2 goal differential.

The nationals will receive their own massive dose of confidence when regular starting keeper Neil Etheridge returns to duty in the group stages following a short stint with English League One side Charlton Athletic FC after being loaned by parent club Fulham. “My loan spell even though it was short, was a good experience,” described Etheridge. “I got to meet new people and coaches! They expressed their delight with me even though I have not been given the opportunity to play. They (Charlton) would like to look further into having me for next year. Many positive things have come out of this even though I was unable to play for the club.”

Any joy over the return of Etheridge will have to be tempered as there is the possibility that Phil Younghusband might miss the match against Myanmar of not the whole stage. Araneta’s line mate injured him hamstring during a late and clumsy tackle by a Mongolian defender while out of bounds that saw the Fil-Briton limp out in favor of back up Yanti Bersales.

Further complicating matters is the unavailability of defender Rob Gier and the uncertainty that midfielder Jason de Jong who is currently playing with Indonesian club Persiba Balikpapan. The Azkals are already missing midfielder Chris Greatwich who is back in New Jersey, USA because of work. However, the elder Greatwich brother hopes to rejoin the team in time for the World Cup qualifiers slated for later this year.

The Philippines opens its group stage campaign at 3:30pm of the 21st of March when they take on Myanmar, the favorite to advance. The last time the two squads tangled it was at the Nam Dinh Stadium where they battled to a scoreless draw that catapulted the Azkals to an unprecedented semifinals appearance in the 2010 Suzuki Cup. The two will face each other at the Thuwunna Youth Training Center Stadium in Yangon. The YTC Stadium has a 32,000 seating capacity and is where international matches are held.

Two days later, the Azkals go up against dangerous Palestine also at 3:30pm at the YTC Stadium. The nationals close out their assignment when they take on Bangladesh on March 25 also at 3:30pm at the Bogyoke Aung San Stadium that is also located at Yangon. The 40,000-seater used to be the national stadium until the 1980s.

Myanmar won gold medals at the Asian Games football tournaments in 1966 and 1970. And they also qualified for the 1972 Munich Olympics football tournament but they were eliminated in the group stage. “The White Angels” as the Myanmar side is known, is led by strikers Yan Paing and Kyaw Ko Ko and captain Zaw Lin Tun.

Palestine on the other hand cannot likewise be trifled lightly. In 2006, they reached their highest FIFA ranking to date when they placed #115 in the rankings of over 200 countries.

Croat Robert Rubcic who played for the country’s first national squad following the dissolution of the Yugoslav Federation coaches Bangladesh. The task of getting the Bengal Tigers, as the team is known by, to compete is difficult since the country regards cricket as its top sport. The Bangladeshi eleven has competed on and off in international football tournaments due to the lack of skilled players and proper support.

The Azkals leave for Myanmar this coming Saturday, March 19.
Posted by Rick Olivares