AFTER falling out from the 2014 FIFA World Cup bid last Thursday, the Philippine Men�s Football National Team-Azkals will again be busy as they prepare for the upcoming 2011 Long Teng Cup in Kaohsiung, Chinese Taipei from September 28 to October 4, 2011.
This was disclosed on Saturday to Sun.Star-Bacolod by Azkals� team coordinator Patrick Ace Bright.
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Bright said that, despite the failure in its World Cup bid, the Azkals will continue to strengthen the team as it also looks forward to the South East Asian Games this November and the final round of the Challenge Cup in March next year.
Among other teams competing in this September competition are defending champion Hongkong, Macau and host-Chinese Taipei.
The Philippine team ended last year�s campaign in third position behind Hong kong and Chinese Taipei.
The nationals lost to Hong Kong 4-2 while it secured a draw against Chinese Taipei 1-all and beat Macau, 5-0.
However, the team still has to confirm the availability of its ace keeper Neil Etheridge and midfielder Stephan Schrock, as both are playing abroad. Etheridge is playing for Fulham FC while Schrock plays for the SpVgg GreutherF�rth Club. (JSG)
Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on August 01, 2011
Sunday 31 July 2011
Harimau Muda A Return To Slovakia
After narrowly losing 1-0 to Chelsea in a friendly the Harimau Muda now continue their football education in Slovakia.
26/07 v FK Bodva Moldova 1-0
30/07 v MFK Topvar Topolcany 2-1
02/08 v Tatran Liptovsky Mikulas
09/08 v Honved (Hungary)
16/08 v MFK Dolny Kubin
23/08 v FC Nitra
26/08 v FC Levice
Honved are one of the great names in European football and for me conjure up the 1950s when the Hungary were perhaps the best football nation in the world. They would send teams to play in England, Honved being one, and about all that remains are black and white photographs showing packed terraces, heavy mists and weak floodlights.
Next year the Harimau Muda will be competing in the SLeague.
Did I tell you Malaysia look set to dominate South East Asian Football for a long time to come?
The Squad
Goalkeepers: Zamer Selamat, Izham Tarmizi Roslan, K. Sasikumar;
Defenders: Zubir Azmi, Nazirul Naim Che Hashim, Amer Saidin, Fandi Othman, Affizie Faisal Mamat, Azrul Azmi, Syazwan Tajuddin, Nazmi Faiz Mansor;
Midfield: Ferris Danial Mat Nasir, Wan Zaharulnizam Wan Zakaria, Faizal Abu Bakar, Abdul Shukur Jusoh, Gary Steven Robbat, Wan Zack Haikal Wan Nor, Azrif Nasrulhaq Badrul Hisham;
Strikers: Irfan Fazail, A. Thamil Arasu, Syahrul Azwari Ibrahim, Ahmad Hazwan Bakri, Izuan Solahuddin.
Defenders: Zubir Azmi, Nazirul Naim Che Hashim, Amer Saidin, Fandi Othman, Affizie Faisal Mamat, Azrul Azmi, Syazwan Tajuddin, Nazmi Faiz Mansor;
Midfield: Ferris Danial Mat Nasir, Wan Zaharulnizam Wan Zakaria, Faizal Abu Bakar, Abdul Shukur Jusoh, Gary Steven Robbat, Wan Zack Haikal Wan Nor, Azrif Nasrulhaq Badrul Hisham;
Strikers: Irfan Fazail, A. Thamil Arasu, Syahrul Azwari Ibrahim, Ahmad Hazwan Bakri, Izuan Solahuddin.
SOURCE - Malaysia Football
Fair Play: Shrock and awe
I PANICKED a bit a few minutes into the Kuwait vs. Philippines match after I realized I could hardly make out the players� jerseys. Try as I did, I couldn�t read the damn jerseys on the players� backs.
How was I supposed to take notes if I can�t tell who�s who? It was easy for the players I�m familiar with, as I don�t need to check their uniforms to see who they were.
But for guys like Stephen Shrock, Manny Ott and all of the Kuwaitis minus the keeper? It was hit and miss.
But in the 47th minute, though, I had no doubt who took the shot.
�Sino ang naka-goal?� the press lady, who tried and failed to decipher my notes, beside me asked.
�Si Shrock!� I answered quickly.
It was a thing of beauty. Not only the goal but the play before it--Chieffy Caligdong and Phil Younghusband playing tag team in trying to keep the play ongoing at left flank against a bevy of Kuwaitis.
Caligdong stole the ball from a Kuwait player, then Phil played pin-ball, struggling to stay on his feet as he controlled the ball, while bouncing off two Kuwaiti defenders. Chieffy got it, then had to fend off a couple of Kuwaitis just to keep the ball in play.
�It�s injury time,� I thought. �Just let us get one shot ref, just let us get one shot.�
Caligdong lost it, but managed to pester the defender enough to deflect the clearance, which somehow found itself to Shrock.
Shrock, who hasn�t scored for the Azkals before that time, took one dribble before launching a powerful shot that got past the keeper, sending the crowd in pandemonium, in the third minute of injury time when there was supposed to be only two minutes of added time. (Thank you ref!)
Do you know what that goal did? It made everybody believe.
Sure, we all believed in the Philippine football team but prior to that game, even the most ardent of fans knew a win against Kuwait was a long shot.
But Shrock changed all of that with his rocket and during that half-time break I think everybody was starting to think a win over Kuwait�not just a home leg win but the whole second round---was possible.
It didn�t happen, of course, but I�m not disappointed. Those who are may have unrealistic expectations and those who gloat about the loss don�t know what football is.
We just took the game to Kuwait, one of the top 10 teams in Asia. We faced the toughest foes we have ever faced, in the biggest game of our football lives and we didn�t blink.
What�s there to be disappointed about in that?
After the game, the Kuwaitis had nothing but praises, for the fans and the team. The assistant coach even said he hopes to see the Philippines among the top 10 teams in Asia.
During the game, I compared notes on the goal with Cedelf Tupas, the football chronicler who I first met during the SEA Games.
I once posted on Twitter that Chieffy Caligdong�s rocket against Bahrain was the best goal ever by a Filipino and Cedelf wanted to know if I still thought it was.
Of course, after that �Shrocket,� I had to revise it with Shrocket�s goal on top because of the context of the game that it was taken. Tied at no. 2 would be Chris Greatwich�s equalizer against Singapore against first goal against Vietnam and No. 3 is Anton del Rosario channeling his inner Roberto Carlos in a 30-yard free kick against Brunei in the AFF Qualifiers in 2006.
Shrock�s goal, so far, is in a class of its own.
But I�m confident�because of the growing confidence of the team�we are going to see more goals like that.
How was I supposed to take notes if I can�t tell who�s who? It was easy for the players I�m familiar with, as I don�t need to check their uniforms to see who they were.
But for guys like Stephen Shrock, Manny Ott and all of the Kuwaitis minus the keeper? It was hit and miss.
But in the 47th minute, though, I had no doubt who took the shot.
�Sino ang naka-goal?� the press lady, who tried and failed to decipher my notes, beside me asked.
�Si Shrock!� I answered quickly.
It was a thing of beauty. Not only the goal but the play before it--Chieffy Caligdong and Phil Younghusband playing tag team in trying to keep the play ongoing at left flank against a bevy of Kuwaitis.
Caligdong stole the ball from a Kuwait player, then Phil played pin-ball, struggling to stay on his feet as he controlled the ball, while bouncing off two Kuwaiti defenders. Chieffy got it, then had to fend off a couple of Kuwaitis just to keep the ball in play.
�It�s injury time,� I thought. �Just let us get one shot ref, just let us get one shot.�
Caligdong lost it, but managed to pester the defender enough to deflect the clearance, which somehow found itself to Shrock.
Shrock, who hasn�t scored for the Azkals before that time, took one dribble before launching a powerful shot that got past the keeper, sending the crowd in pandemonium, in the third minute of injury time when there was supposed to be only two minutes of added time. (Thank you ref!)
Do you know what that goal did? It made everybody believe.
Sure, we all believed in the Philippine football team but prior to that game, even the most ardent of fans knew a win against Kuwait was a long shot.
But Shrock changed all of that with his rocket and during that half-time break I think everybody was starting to think a win over Kuwait�not just a home leg win but the whole second round---was possible.
It didn�t happen, of course, but I�m not disappointed. Those who are may have unrealistic expectations and those who gloat about the loss don�t know what football is.
We just took the game to Kuwait, one of the top 10 teams in Asia. We faced the toughest foes we have ever faced, in the biggest game of our football lives and we didn�t blink.
What�s there to be disappointed about in that?
After the game, the Kuwaitis had nothing but praises, for the fans and the team. The assistant coach even said he hopes to see the Philippines among the top 10 teams in Asia.
During the game, I compared notes on the goal with Cedelf Tupas, the football chronicler who I first met during the SEA Games.
I once posted on Twitter that Chieffy Caligdong�s rocket against Bahrain was the best goal ever by a Filipino and Cedelf wanted to know if I still thought it was.
Of course, after that �Shrocket,� I had to revise it with Shrocket�s goal on top because of the context of the game that it was taken. Tied at no. 2 would be Chris Greatwich�s equalizer against Singapore against first goal against Vietnam and No. 3 is Anton del Rosario channeling his inner Roberto Carlos in a 30-yard free kick against Brunei in the AFF Qualifiers in 2006.
Shrock�s goal, so far, is in a class of its own.
But I�m confident�because of the growing confidence of the team�we are going to see more goals like that.
PHL vs. Kuwait game photos (last of four)
This is the last of four parts of the PHL vs. Kuwait games fotos. All pics taken by Dr. Joel Pascual, who was one of the dozens of accredited photojournalists during the game. (You may grab a copy of the pic but please credit Dr. Joel Pascual and www.cebufootball.blogspot.com. Thanks-----------------Mike)
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