MANILA, Philippines – As far as Azkals team manager Dan Palami is concerned, coach Hans Michael Weiss has done a good job in handling the national football team.
“I think I'll give him a passing grade in one sentence,” Palami said in an interview on ANC’s Hardball sports show. He said the German football coach has done a lot in improving the Azkals’ game. “He has introduced a different system,” explained Palami. “Sometimes the players have yet to understand why this has to be so but again we see now how they play.”
Weiss was criticized by some after the Azkals bowed out of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
They took particular notice on Weiss’ alleged over-reliance on the Nationals' starting unit.
Palami, however, pointed out that the Azkals’ football skills progressed under the tutelage of Weiss.
“It's more European style rather than the long ball,” he said.
He added that another plus for Weiss is his behavior outside the pitch.
“I don't see him being controversial, he knows how to handle himself,” said Palami.
Meanwhile, the team manager believes local football fans understand that Philippine football is still in its infancy stage.
He saw this after the Philippine team’s recent loss to Kuwait.
“Judging by their response, I mean if they didn't understand, they would have gone off the stadium knowing that 2014 World Cup is over,” said Palami.
“We couldn't help but shed tears, not because we lost, but because the fans were there even after we lost the game,” he added.
Excited Football fans, endlessly thrilled despite that humbling defeat by the Philipine Azkals to Kuwait, are also asking another question. Where do their newfound sports heroes actually stand? Of course, the Azkals deserved all the applause for the gallant battle they waged against powerhouse Kuwait at the Rizal Memorial Stadium last week. But without meaning to dampen enthusiasm, there were other observers here at home who felt the Kuwaitis were not properly appreciated.
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Why?
For one, there were post-game reports that the gifted Kuwaitis were seen enjoying intimate moments with comely Filipino entertainers at the Sofitel, while the Azkals were deep in final training for that crucial game. Which could only mean that, contrary to earlier reports, the Kuwaitis had never been seriously bothered by the Azkals, which they blanked, 3-0, in their homeground. “Kuwait showed a lot of class last Thursday—they are No. 95 and we are 162nd in the Fifa rankings of July 27,” informed premier national sports statistician Joseph Dumuk, now retired in La Union.
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That was definitely a demotion, Dumuk said, adding that, it more than showed how far the Philippines has lagged and the Kuwaitis showed how much harder we have to work in order to advance. “To give you an idea,” Dumuk said, “where our neighbors stand: THA 119, SIN 131, INA 137, VIE 144 and MAS 146.” He added that the top teams in Asia are: Japan 16, South Korea 28, Iran 54, People’s Republic of China 73, Qatar, 90, Jordan91, Saudi Arabia 92.
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He asked: Can you imagine the resources we need in order to break into the Top 100? Dumuk did not say it, but he definitely felt that it would take more than the current tact of taking in talented foreigners with Filipino lineage to the national squad in order to hit the dream goal. Indeed, the Azkals, with their current worth, have surpassed themselves by firing up football enthusiasm hereabouts. But, as cold-bloodedly demonstrated by the Kuwaitis at the Rizal Memorial field, we need more than the current momentum in order to fully redeveloped football in the Philippines. The Azkals and their great results are, at best, products of a commendable crash program.
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But you need not be a sports development expert to know that, more than instant popularity, there’s the crying need to honestly upgrade game standards here at home. And this can’t be done by one sector, or one person alone, as in the case of the amiable national team manager Dan Palami. The game against Kuwait clearly showed that while our players were often frantically sprinting, the visitors would just strut, if not stroll, in full control. The Philippines, no doubt, is light years behind Kuwait in the area of native football pedigree. OK, the Azkals will continue to be great in their own right for now. But manager Palami cannot deny how he dreams of one day handling an All-Filipino team that could match dribbling and dancing wits with world-class talents like the homegrown Kuwaitis, home or away, rain or shine.
Middle East teams dominated Round 2 of the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers in matches all over Asia Thursday including the Philippine Azkals' home game versus Kuwait, who have marked the Filipinos as a future football powerhouse in Asia.
Of the 15 Asian contingents that advanced to Round 3, 10 were West Asian countries. China leads the pack of 15 with a 13-3 aggregate score against Laos. Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore are the Southeast Asian countries that also moved forward into Round 3.
Coach Goran Tufegdzic and other officials of the Kuwaiti side were gracious victors at the post-match news conference. They said, judging by the "very good team" who foiled most of their goal attempts throughout the match, the Philippines will be "one of the top ten teams in Asia" in decades.
But Azkals coach Michael Weiss, undaunted after the loss, said the Philippines can be "a contender for the World Cup" in just four years with intensive training and support from all sectors. He has charted out a path.
Weiss said the national team can bring home a medal from the Southeast Asian Games later this year, follow-through on earlier wins in the AFC Challenge Cup, and try to secure a berth to the Asian Cup.
Team manager Dan Palami told GMA News Online the Azkals will have little time to rest because some of the Europe-based players have matches there in the coming months, the rest of the team will also join more tournaments.
The Azkals will have tune-up matches with several of their country's neighbors prior to the SEA Games in November. In September, the Philippines will compete in the Long Teng Cup to be hosted by Taiwan. Other competing teams are Macau and Hongkong. In October, four Southeast Asian nations meet for the Manila Beer Cup.
Palami said the Azkals will try to sneak in some downtime so they can relax a bit, probably with an out-of-town trip.
Weiss said the team will likely return to Bahrain for more training. He said he will also return to Germany soon to scout for players and entice more sponsors. He also expects the Japan Football Association (JFA) to help the Philippine Football Federation (PFF).
World-class football
It is not everyday that a world-class match of football gets played on Philippine soil.
Kuwait showed their Filipino foes and Rizal stadium spectators their battle-honed, training-polished moves and physical conditioning befitting a team that is in the top 100 of the world ranking. Kuwait is 95th in the latest FIFA ranking.
Even when they lost midfielder Fahed Al Ebrahim, who got sent off with a red card in the 60th minute, Kuwait played like they were not one player short.
Though the Azkals got eliminated, they did display some flashes of brilliance, the brightest of which was that rocket Stephan Schrock launched many yards from the left flank of their attack. The solitary goal made the 13,000 spectators at the Rizal Stadium roar, jump for joy and send shock waves via television to viewers nationwide and fans following the match via Facebook and Twitter.
Co-captain Emelio "Chieffy" Caligdong and Phil Younghusband tried several times to punch through the Al-Azraq defense line. Team captain Aly Borromeo and Angel Guirado also came close but missed their chances.
All too often two, three or four opponents surrounded Caligdong and the younger Younghusband or blocked their path. At other instances, no teammate was at the receiving end of their passes for the finishing header or kick near the goal.
Weiss said the most crucial point, in his view, was Younghusband's attempt in the 52nd minute of the match. The German coach said if that had gone through, it would have changed the complexion of the match.
Guirado tried not to show it but he was obviously not at 100 percent fighting form. He was the first Weiss substituted, though late in the second half. Weiss sent Misagh Bahadoran in Guirado's stead. Weiss said Schrock was also trying to shake off some jet lag, having planed in from Germany only two days before.
It was apparent that part of the strategy of Kuwait was to slow down the pace of the match since they already had a three-goal cushion from their home game last July 23.
That buffer widened further at the 63rd minute when midfielder Yousef Naser sneaked in a goal and when another midfielder Walied Ali lured Neil Etheridge away from the goal so his shot could slip by. Ray Jonsson tried to keep that shot from going in but he was several steps behind.
Tectonic Shift
Before 2011, only the sports of boxing, billiards and basketball had the proven drawing power and wide public appeal in the Philippines.
Football has joined their ranks as evidenced by capacity crowds and sold out tickets in Bacolod last February, the last two matches in Manila and the away game at the Qadsia Stadium in Kuwait.
The tectonic shift began when the Azkals shocked Vietnam in the Suzuki Cup of the ASEAN Football Federation. Vietnam was the higher-ranked team and defending champion.
Coach Weiss said it is crucial that various sectors come together to sustain the momentum football now has in the Philippines. He stressed the importance of having good infrastructure and strengthening of the country's grassroots program for homegrown talents.
While that endeavor waits for fruitful harvests, Weiss, Palami and the PFF will scout the globe for foreign-based Filipino talents. Weiss said the national team needs young and fast players.
The Azkals coach said recent discovery OJ Porteria, who had some playing time in the Middle East, is "fantastic" and will be part of the team the PFF will send to the SEA Games.
The PFF has two boys' teams, the Teen Azkals and Little Azkals, and the Under-23 junior men's national team training pool. There are also two women's teams, christened the Malditas.
Unlike other football nations in Asia, the Philippines has yet to formulate its national vision and strategic plan for the "beautiful game." Palami said he has an "initial draft" tucked away that he will review soon. - JVP, GMA News
There is no denying the immense pride that the Philippine Azkals have when they play for flag and country. Regardless of where they have grown up or come from, they are one in expressing their heartfelt desire to see the country’s success in international football, regardless of how people label them according to their heritage.
What most people don’t know is that many of the so-called Fil-foreign players only belatedly came to know about the national team of their motherland, and sought out the Philippine Football Federation, offering their services.
“When I found out about the Philippine national team, I sent them an e-mail, with my resume, if you will,” says 30-year old fullback Rob Gier, who was already an experienced pro in his early 20s. “Not to brag or anything, but I was playing at a good level in England, and would they be interested in having me? I actually wish I had found out when I was a spring chicken.”
“I didn’t even know the Philippines had a national team, to be honest,” admits United Football League All-Star Nate Burkey, who is now based in the Philippines and headed in the lone goal against Sri Lanka. “But when I heard about it, I wanted to play, no question. It was a good chance to follow my roots.”
For the Greatwich brothers, it was their grandmother’s funeral seven years ago that provided the impetus for the three brothers Cris, Phil and Simon to all join the Azkals in turn. Simon, the youngest of the three and part of the Philippine under-23 team, even takes public transportation to get around.
“It’s a great feeling to have all this support,” says midfielder Greatwich. “I think the fans in the Philippines are great, and they’re behind us, no matter what.”
One niggling little notion that the mixed-race players want to dispel is the feeling that they are “less Filipino” than their teammates who grew up in the country and labored in obscurity for years, or that there is a discrimination in the treatment between them. To a man, they are adamant about their identity.
“I don’t understand when people ask us how ‘Filipino’ we feel,” explains Gier, who is expecting his first child in five weeks. “The blood that runs through us runs through our “homegrown” teammates. Just because we were born in another place or grew up in a different country doesn’t make us less Filipino. We feel Filipino every second of our lives.”
After a two-week break, the work continues, as the Azkals prepare for two tournaments in the last quarter of the year. They will also play big brothers to a fired-up under-23 team, and gear up for a return bout in the Suzuki Cup and other major tournaments next year.
“I hope that in the future, we will be able to field a starting line-up that is half homegrown and half Fil-foreigners,” says TV commentator Bob Guerrero. “The seeds have been planted. This team has brought the game to a whole other level. They’re a great bunch of guys.”
Perhaps the most touching comment was made by Gier, who recalls the years when he started with the Azkals and “nobody cared” about the team. His statement carries a lot of weight considering the fact that he has tasted high-level soccer in Europe.
“It was an unbelievable feeling (against Kuwait) for the fans to be supporting us because of football, not because we were famous, or good-looking or anything,” Gier declares. “The goal against Singapore was my proudest moment as a footballer. But that was eclipsed when Schrocki (Stephan Schrock) scored that goal against Kuwait, for us to be going into the half up 1-nil – and we deserved to be up 1-nil – against a team that is ranked 70 places higher than us in the world is a tremendous achievement.”
SMALL consolation, perhaps, but Goran Tufegdzic, the Serbian coach of Kuwait’s national football squad, which beat the Philippine Azkals, 2-1, gave the nationals high marks for their gritty stand last Thursday during their rain-soaked match at the Rizal Memorial football stadium.
The Azkals, who also bowed to the Kuwaitis in the first match of their two-game series for the second round of their 2014 World Cup qualifying match, 0-3, played their guts out before 13,000 screaming fans but failed to keep pace with the more skillful Kuwaitis.
“As you see, there were many chances for scoring (for the Philippines) in the first half. They made it tough for our team,” said Tufegdžic, who steered the Kuwaitis to the third round with an aggregate of 5-1.
A total of 14 countries throughout Asia made it to the next round during simultaneous matches played during the day, with Thailand and Singapore joining Indonesia as the only football squads from Southeast Asia making the grade.
Indonesia beat Turkmenistan, 4-3, in Jakarta and made it via a n a 5-4 aggregate, Singapore drew with Malaysia, 1-1, but the Singaporeans advanced on a 6-4 tally. Thailand also played Palestine to a 2-all draw, but the Thais qualified counting their 1-0 win in the first leg.
Tufegdžic said the Al-Azraqs had a difficult time adjusting to the rains brought by the recent typhoon, but relied on their poise and experience, especially after losing Fahad Al-Ebrahim, who was thrown out after receiving a red card.
The Azkals scored the first goal on Fil-German Stephan Schrock’s grounder at the third minute of injury time at the end of the first half.
But the Al-Azraqs scored two goals in succession, the first courtesy of a looping shot from Yousef Nasser, which sailed past the head of goalie Neil Etheridge in the 61st minute, and the second from Waleed Jumah, who stormed past an approaching Etheridge and rolled in Kuwait’s second marker in the 85th.
Tufegdžic said he hopes to see the Philippines making it past the second round in the next qualifying matches in 2015.
Azkals coach Hans Michael Weiss said there were plenty of lessons learned in their series against the Kuwaitis.
“This game has been brutal and it shows how bitter and hard football can be. Hard lessons have been learned and taken. We have young players in the team. We have a good balance here. They can take this defeat. They have to take it because of the fact that we have to acknowledge that we have a very strong opponent,” said Weiss. by Peter Atencio
The eye-opening loss of the Philippine Azkals to the much higher-seeded Al-Asraq of Kuwait in the World Cup qualifiers served as a proper, albeit bitter gauge of the development of football in the country. True, at times it seemed like adolescents playing against adults, but let’s not be too disheartened. This is literally Year One of a developmental process that is teaching the Filipino sports fan to be patient.
“Disappointed, of course,” was how Azkals media bureau chief Rick Olivares described the feeling of the team after the match. “They knew it would be tough. Before the match, the players talked about it, and they said they were doing it for the people; they would go all-out, no matter what.”
Most people did not realize how seriously the Kuwaitis took the match, despite being up 3-nil from the first match. They made five line-up changes – which was unusual, which begot a very open match. The visitors were even disappointed with how spirited they allowed the Filipino players to be on their home turf. But they took the match to heart.
“When you’re playing a far superior team, it doesn’t matter where you’re playing,” Olivares continued. “Whether it’s a home pitch or an away pitch, they’ll find a way to score goals. When another team prepares for you, they take it to another level. We saw this in the Suzuki Cup against Indonesia.”
Mental lapses on the part of the Azkals allowed the Kuwaitis to score their first goal early in the second half and tie the score.
“The players lost focus for a moment, and they paid for it,” elaborated Bob Guerrero, who commentated on the match for ABS-CBN. “The second goal was forgivable.”
The Kuwaitis were privately generous in their praise of the Azkals, repeatedly reminding them to learn from this experience. One point they made was that when they qualified for the World Cup in 1982, they did it purely with homegrown players. But they wished the Philippine program luck.
“Right now, it’s impossible to field a competitive line-up without them,” Guerrero says. But in the next years, when we field a starting line-up, half of the players will be Fil-foreigners, half will be homegrown. We want to grow the game here, play more games in front of a home crowd. Some of the Kuwaiti players have played more than 100 international matches, and they’re only in their mid-20’s.”
But that would also mean playing together more, which the Fil-foreigners have not entirely been able to do. FIFA’s schedule for major international matches does not overlap with bigger club competitions (particularly in Europe) but in some of the smaller leagues and second-tier tournaments like the ones Stephan Schrock and Manny Ott play for in Germany, club teams may be reluctant to release players for national team outings in smaller tournaments.
The good news is that there are more tournaments in the works. After the team takes a two-week break, team management will convene to decide the next matches. One local sponsor is willing to pay for a short tournament in October, and a four-nation invitational is also on the drawing board, similar to the Asian Five Nations competitions in rugby. The United Football League is also expanding, and this will give younger players a career to aspire for. Thousands of players take up soccer in grade school and high school, but either stop or change sports because they don’t see a future in it. That has changed with the attention the Azkals have brought to the game, which hopefully will not wane while the team matures.
There’s more attention on football. More parents are getting their kids into the game,” Guerrero says, with a warning. “We shouldn’t just look for the next Phil Younghusband or Neil Etheridge. We should look for the next Chieffy Caligdong and Ian Araneta. They are the ones who are going to take the game higher. This is a long process but we’ve come very far already.”
Indeed, there are some new football fans who have shown resentment, claiming they were taken for a ride. But the fact is that football, like many other sports, takes time to gestate. The fact of the matter is we drew blood against a team among the top 100 in the world. We have players who barely play each other, and a coach who has had less than a year on the job. In spite of that, the Azkals have never faltered, and have taken Philippine football higher than it ever has gone. And despite the outcome, the home match against Kuwait was an impressive, enjoyable show.
It’s time we, as fans who love high-scoring, instantly gratifying sports like basketball, boxing and billiards, to also grow up along with the Azkals, who find themselves fighting lions of the game, and never backing down. THE GAME OF MY LIFE By Bill Velasco(The Philippine Star)
THE 2-1 setback suffered by the Philippine Men’s Football National Team-Azkals last Thursday night and the 3-nil upset on an away game last Saturday in the hands of the much stronger Kuwait-Al Azraq squad only justified that the nationals are less prepared in the bid for the 2014 World Cup.
For a team with players playing together in less than a year, expectation should not be that high, compared to a squad that has bonded for several years. This was clearly seen during the match between the Azkals and Azraq.
The lack of familiarization among the Azkals has caused the squad’s numerous unsuccessful run during the match.
These were the observations of PFF-Suzuki U23 National Cup champion Negros-Ceres Team assistant coach Ramon Janeo.
He said that the Azkals lacked communication during the match.
“Hindi nila masyado kilala ang isa’t isa. Ito marahil ay dahil sa maiksing panahon sa pagbuo ng team,” Janeo theorized.
“So dapat ang gawin ng Philippine Football Federation is to plan a long term team preparation. Hindi ‘yong isang buwan na lang ang game o tournament, doon pa lang tayo mag-start sa pagbuo ng team,” Janeo stressed.
But Janeo commended the efforts of the Azkals during the Thursday match. “With regard to the team’s performance, ok naman kahit natalo because they played hard together,” he said.
On the other hand, Azkals media officer Rick Olivares disclosed that national team head coach Michael Weiss admitted during the post-game press conference that they have given Kuwait lots of space to score. Likewise, they were also concerned with Kuwait’s speed all series long.
Olivares further shared Weiss’ notes that if Phil Younghusband scored early and if Angel Guirado nailed that header, that would have been a very big boost. But they were unable to finish properly.
However, if Weiss was sparing in his praise, Kuwait was more effusive, Olivares said.
He reiterated that Kuwati forward Hamad Al-Enezi said that if the Azkals keep what they are doing, the Filipinos will be an Asian power in two or maybe four years. He said that the Azkals have the skills and the players and only need to keep them together.
The media officer also added that Kuwait coach Goran Tefugdzic admitted that it was a challenge playing the Philippines, adding, that the nationals gave them trouble in both Legs but their experience brought them to victory.
As of the moment, the focus of the national team will be the Under-23 squad which will compete in the Southeast Asian Games this coming November in Indonesia and the next phase of the AFC Challenge Cup.
Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on July 30, 2011.
MANILA—Like Philippine Azkals coach Hans Michael Weiss, the country’s football top honcho, Mariano “Nonong” Araneta, longs for the day when the national team will have the best available players, particularly the standouts based in Europe.
That’s why the Philippine Football Federation president wants more friendlies for the Azkals that also follows the International Football Federation (Fifa) calendar.
Araneta told the Inquirer yesterday that he plans to invite Asian countries like Malaysia, Hong Kong and China to play against the Azkals late this year or early next year.
Player availability has always been a problem for the Azkals as some of their best players like Stephan Schrock, Ray Jonsson and Neil Etheridge ply their trade in European leagues.
The trio played in the second round World Cup Qualifying duel against Kuwait last night at the Rizal Memorial Stadium after they were allowed by their European clubs at the last minute.
Araneta feels the current squad can still get better with the infusion of Europe-based players like Paul Mulders, Jerry Lucena and Dennis Cagara, whose availability are always in doubt because of club commitments.
“We really want to have the best available players for the team to have time to play together because that’s the only way we can improve,” said Araneta, who was also a national player in the late 70s until the early 80s.
“Those friendlies with our best players are the only way we can really gauge how good our team is and how good they can become.”
Araneta said that the only way to have the squad together is to set friendlies that are in line with the Fifa calendar.
The Azkals were in Myanmar for the AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers when international friendlies were held.
They were in training camp in Germany during the international break last June and Araneta said the team missed the chance of playing friendlies against teams in the Middle East because they were in Germany.
Weiss said the current Azkals squad is still two to three years away from reaching its full potential.
“Our development has been fast, but in reality the process is longer,” said Weiss, who has three wins, three draws and two losses in his first six months in charge of the Azkals.
“The team has a lot of potential, but it will take time.”
For one fleeting moment, Filipino-German Stephan Schrock gave the Filipino nation something to celebrate and more reasons to continue believing in the Philippine national men's football team, despite the 1-2 loss (1-5 on aggregate) against Kuwait last night in the second leg of their second round World Cup Qualifying at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila .
Everyone who saw the match, those who watched it live in Rizal and those who were glued to their television sets, stood up in their seats and cheered as Schrock's powerful strike went inside the goal just before the referee whistled the end of the first half.
Twice beaten by the Kuwaitis and down by four goals on aggregate, the Azkals bidded their World Cup bid goodbye, at least for now.
The intense display of determination, much improved defense and exposure to high-level game fortified the Azkals for upcoming matches. The team is set to see action in the Long Teng Cup in Taipei this September against Hongkong, Macau , and host Chinese Taipei.
In last night's game, Kuwait showed its dominance with Al Sulaiman's equalizer in the 62 nd minute and Jumah's attack in the 84 th that resulted to an own-goal by Ray Johnnson.
The Kuwaitis controlled the tempo in the first half, getting two corners in the first four minutes but the Azkals aggressively defended their side and were awarded the early free kicks.
Phil Younghusband had an opportunity to score in the 15 th minute as he chase the ball down against Kuwaiti's defenders but his marker was anticipated by Al Khaldi.
Neil Etheridge also pulled off outstanding saves, deflecting Kuwait 's shots several times, including the one from Al Ataiqi in the 33 rd minute which he tipped onto the goal post.
Despite the loss, the Azkals' persistence and dogged defense strengthened the Filipinos faith in them as the overflowing crowd at the Rizal Stadium cheered them one even after the final whistle was blown.
“We believe signs” were seen in the bleachers as the fans gave the Azkals a standing ovation as they leave the pitch.*NAB
The Azkals stunned heavily favored Kuwait with a spectacular first-half goal, but again suffered second-half defensive breakdowns to allow the visitors to squeak by with a 2-1 victory at Rizal Memorial Stadium.
With their win at home, Kuwait advanced to the third round of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers on a 5-1 aggregate while eliminating the Philippines.
Yousef Sulaiman and Ahmed Jumah scored the goals for Kuwait in the 61st and 85th minute.
But those came after the Philippines gave them a scare by striking first, when midfielder Stephan Schrock received a perfect pass from Chieffy Caligdong and slammed home the Azkals' first and only goal in two matches, just before the half. The capacity crowd erupted.
The euphoria extended into halftime as a sold-out stadium began smelling a historic upset against an opponent ranked 67 places higher in the FIFA rankings.
But to move on to the next World Cup qualifying round, the Azkals not only had to win but beat Kuwait by four goals, after losing in the away leg, 3-0.
Up tempo match
With a three-goal deficit, the Azkals played a high defensive line to push forward and pressure the Kuwaitis from the start.
Both teams had numerous chances to score with Kuwait looking to counter-attack the Azkals pressing game in the high tempo match.
Both teams also played the ball quickly and effectively behind some crisp passing. The Philippines also abandoned their old long-ball tactics.
Kuwaiti Fahad Al-Ebrahim was ejected midway in the second half after a dangerous challenge against Chieffy Caligdong, giving the Azkals a golden opportunity to pad their lead.
However, the Azkals' playing so high up the pitch enabled Kuwait to counter with a fast break and score soon after the red card to momentarily silence the pro-Filipino crowd.
Down to 10 men, Kuwait played the ball well to the left, with Jumah finding the back of the net.
Azkals keeper Neil Etheridge was tenacious in goal, but the Kuwaitis' better coordination and even conditioning shone in the two late goals.
Despite the result, the crowd gave the home team a standing ovation after the match as they circled the pitch to chants of "Azkals, Azkals, Azkals," a shirtless and brawny young Etheridge reminding the crowd that this team can only get better. – With reports from Earl Victor Rosero and Roy Moore/JVP/MRT/HS, GMA News
MANILA Philippines (July 29, 2011) - Despite being buoyed up by supportive hometown crowd at the Rizal Memorial Stadium last night, the Philippine Azkals lost to Kuwait Al-Azraq, 1-2, In the second match of the 2nd Round of their World Cup 2014 Asian Qualifying series.
The Philippine Azkals drew first blood when Stephan Schrock nailed a goal from 20 yards, ending the first half up 1-0. But the celebratory mood of the Filipinos would soon fade.
In the second half, the Kuwaitis proved too poised and too experienced for the Azkals as they scored 2 goals - one from Yousef Naser in the 62nd minute and another one from Waleed Jumah in the 86th minute - to wind up the match 2-1 and dashing Azkals' World Cup dream at least for now.
Underscoring their strength and proving that they were not 10-time Gulf Cup of Nations champions for nothing, the Kuwaitis were in fact down to 10 players starting in the 58th when Fahad Al Ebrahim was sent off for a hard tackle on Chieffy Caligdong. But this did not matter to the Kuwaitis - nor the wet field due to on and off drizzles and the cheering hometown crowd that were thought to provide advantage to the Azkals.
With this game's result added to the 3-0 sweep by the Kuwaitis in their home court last Saturday, Kuwait wins on 5-1 aggregate score to advance to 3rd round where Japan, Australia, South Korea, Bahrain and North Korea have been seeded, along with 14 other winners of Round 2.
Kuwait Coach Goran Tufegdzic sees his team going all the way through the World Cup this year.
Azkals coach Michael Weiss is still a picture of optimism. “This game and the previous game show how bitter and hard football can be. I think the team can take this defeat. We had to take it fairly and also acknowledge that we went up against a tough opponent,” he said.
