Azkals fight for dear life

Philippines – The Philippine Azkals must beat Bangladesh Friday if they hope to advance to the main draw of the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup next year.

To survive, the Filipinos will have to go through the proverbial eye of the needle since they will be battling a dangerous Bangladesh side in their last group qualifying match at the Aung San Stadium in Rangoon, Myanmar.

Although ranked way below the Azkals in the FIFA world standings, Bangladesh showed a glimpse of its potential when it stunned host Myanmar, 2-0, on Wednesday night.

Against Myanmar, the Azkals could only manage a 1-1 draw last Monday.

The Azkals are ranked 151 while Bangladesh 174th.

Compounding the Azkals’ woes will be the absence of midfielder Simon Greatwich.

The 22-year-old Filipino-British, who earned his first yellow card on Monday, will sit out Friday’s game after being slapped with a second yellow for diving in the penalty area of the Palestinians, who held the Azkals to a scoreless draw the other night.

Game time is 5 p.m. (Manila time) and the Azkals can’t afford to lose or even settle for another draw because that will mean the end of their campaign.

A victory, however, assures them one of the two slots at stake in the tournament’s finals next year.

Held to a draw twice, the Azkals are currently at third spot in Group A with two points behind Bangladesh (three points) and Palestine (four points), which have the best chance of advancing. Myanmar is at the cellar with a point.

The PH-Bangladesh tiff will be held simultaneously with the closing Myanmar-Palestine clash in a different venue to avoid manipulation of the results.

A victory over Bangladesh will give the Azkals five points and a spot to the next round regardless of the outcome of the other match.

But if the Azkals lose or settle for a draw, they will be eliminated.

Midfielder Chieffy Caligdong and newcomer Yannick Tuason showed flashes of offensive and defensive brilliance, but it proved not enough to topple the tall Palestinians on Friday.

“I’m satisfied with the result,” Azkals German coach Hans Michael Weiss was quoted as saying. “I have seen a very strong Palestine team that we really had to endure. It was not an easy match.”

source: manilabulletin

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Phil Younghusband hopes to play Myanmar game despite injury

MANILA, Philippines – Azkals striker Phil Younghusband hopes to recover from the hamstring injury he sustained during the Azkals’ triumphant game against Mongolia in time for their upcoming match against Myanmar.

In a phone patch report by ABS-CBN sportscaster Dyan Castillejo on “Umagang Kay Ganda,” March 16: “He’s [Phil] hoping that makakapag-recover siya for the game on Monday… he has scheduled [to undergo] an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to check kung ano talaga ‘yung condition ng hamstring niya.”

Castillejo said the Fil-Brit player is still in pain after suffering a pulled hamstring in his right leg in the 65th minute of the game held at the Ulan Bator Stadium in chilly Mongolia on Tuesday. He was replaced by Yanti Barsales.

“Si Phil actually kagabi… nahirapan siyang maglakad, he was limping. Mas masakit na ‘yung hamstring niya… Kasi diba malamig, so he was just running and then it snapped, he felt it. So kagabi masakit talaga siya, much more painful than when it just happened,” she related.

Castillejo added that Younghusband already did some stretching and had his leg examined by the Azkals’ physical therapist. He is also set to undergo checkup upon return to the Philippines on March 17.

The Azkals advances to the qualifying tournament of the AFC Challenge Cup---despite losing to Mongolia’s Blue Wolves (1-2)---with the aggregate score of 3-2, which includes the Azkals’ win in their first game in Bacolod.

Younghusband himself related through Twitter that his injury still hurts and he is anxious that he might not be able to play for the Myanmar match. He also apologized on Tuesday for the Azkals’ loss, but is grateful that they qualified for the next round.

And in his post on Wednesday, Younghusband said: “Magandang umaga! Masakit pa rin ang injury ko. Malungkot pa rin kasi na talo kami kahapon pero yung goal natin was reached, to qualify :).”

In his tweet to Azkals goal keeper Neil Etheridge, he also noted: “I have a scan tomorrow but not sure.”(MB)

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Azkals survive Mongolia in AFC Challenge Cup qualifier

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Azkals kept their composure against a determined Mongolian squad and finished their home-and away-series on top — with an aggregate score of 3-2 — to advance to the group stage of the AFC Challenge Cup held under sub-zero weather in Ulan Bator, Mongolia today.

Right winger James Younghusband scored the pivotal goal for the Filipinos early in the first half, overcoming the Blue Wolves defense with a straight kick.

Mongolia then retaliated with a goal at the 21-minute mark, and converted a penalty kick several minutes later to save the day for the Blue Wolves, who went on to win the match, 2-1.

But it was not enough to boot out the Azkals, who had already scored two goals in the opener of their AFC Challenge Qualifier at Panaad Stadium in Bacolod last Feb. 9. The Filipinos won that match, 2-0.

The Azkals are scheduled to fly home tomorrow, and get ready for another trip to Myanmar on March 19 for a series of matches. They take on Myanmar, Palestine and Bangladesh until March 25.

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Phl Azkals get new look under German coach Michael Weiss

(Phil Star) – The Azkals are undergoing a facelift under German coach Hans Michael Weiss. And so far, team manager Dan Palami likes what he’s seeing. “I’m satisfied,” he said over the phone yesterday. The Azkals are gearing up for their AFC Challenge Cup tie with Mongolia, and only on the first week of training under the seasoned German coach, changes are quite visible on the field. “You can see more precision passing,” said Palami, adding that the Azkals have been training twice a day since Tuesday with no rest called even this coming Sunday. “He’s quite good. He knows what the team needs and he knows how to squeeze the best from the players,” Palami added. Weiss, who took Englishman Simon McMenemy, is as good as advertised, and will have his baptism of fire on Feb. 9 when the Azkals play the Mongolians at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod. Then they travel to Mongolia for the second leg of their tie on March 15. Weiss is coming off a four-year stint in Rwanda as head coach, and has been with the Chinese Football Association as well as the Kyoto Purple Sanga of the Japan Football League. He’s also had internships with Spain’s Real Madrid, England’s Arsenal, Argentina’s River Plate and FC Kaiserlautern. “I’m happy,” said Palami, adding that the Philippine Football Federation now has the list of 30 players from which the final 25 will be culled. Palami said the core of the team that landed in the semis of the recent AFF Suzuki Cup will be around, including goalie Neil Etheridge, Chris and Simon Greatwich, Phil and James Younghusband, Rob Gier, Ray Jonsson, Jason de Jong, Anton del Rosario, Mark Drinkuth, Ian Araneta and skipper Aly Borromeo. Etheridge and the others coming from Europe will arrive in Bacolod on Feb. 6, just in time for the match. The rest of the team leaves Manila for Bacolod on Jan. 26. A few names, foreign sounding but with Filipino lineage have been added to the list, those of new European recruits Dennis Cagara, Jerry Lucena, Patrick Herget, John Hinrichsen, Oliver Potschke and Stephan Schrock. “But it’s still premature to announce the final 25 because some of these new recruits aren’t good enough yet for the team. Medyo hilaw pa. And they’re still working on their (Philippine) passports,” Palami said. The others in the initial list are Jerry Barbaso, Yanti Barsales, Joebel Bermejo, Emelio Caligdong, Chris Camcam, William Espinosa, Mark Ferrer, Roel Gener, Peter Jaligan, Nestor Margarse, Rey Palmes, Kristopher Relucio, Jason Sabio and Eduard Sacapano.

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