The Philippines enjoyed a confidence-boosting 5-0 win over Macau in a warm-up match for their AFF Suzuki Cup qualifying campaign, which kicks off with a game against Timor Leste on October 22.
A hat-trick from striker Ian Araneta and goals from midfielders James Younghusband and Emilio Caligdong secured the victory for the Philippines.
The win came after a 4-2 loss against Hong Kong and a 1-1 draw with Chinese Taipei in the four-team Long Teng Cup staged in Kaohsiung. Hong Kong won the tournament with the Philippines coming in third on four points.
The Philippines have a settled line-up ahead of the qualifying tournament involving hosts Laos, Cambodia and Timor Leste when the winners and runners up will progress to the AFF Suzuki Cup finals in December.
Defender Anton del Rosario, midfielders Younghusband and Caligdong and Aly Borromeo all played in the 2007 AFF Suzuki Cup when the Philippines recorded a surprise 0-0 draw with Myanmar in a group match.
The Philippines failed to make it through to the finals in 2008 when Cambodia and Laos progressed but the results in the Long Teng Cup will have given them hope of qualifying this time around.
Arguably the best result in the tournament was their 1-1 draw with hosts Chinese Taipei, Araneta securing the point with a goal deep in time added on.
James Younghusband's brother Phil scored both goals in the loss to Hong Kong earlier in the competition. The Philippines showed a lot of spirit to fight back from two goals behind but went down to a couple of late strikes.
affsuzuki.com
nice photo. where did find this jonny?
ReplyDeletehttp://affsuzukicup.com/_webapp_695042/Philippines_enjoy_morale-boosting_goal_fest
ReplyDeleteis this the new mizuno kit? I LOVE IT!
ReplyDeleteThis new kit is just brilliant!
ReplyDeleteWe're gonna be the best looking guys in the Suzuki Cup.
C'mon, you Azkals!
Let the dawgs out!
Meh!! I think it looks kinda cheap. And technically that kit isn't new. If you've really been following the national team, then you'd know that was the design from the winner of the Mizuno contest almost two years ago. Mizuno said that the winner's design would be used by the national team after the winner was declared. But it's only now that they're going with it.
ReplyDeleteAnd "let the dawgs out"?? You have got to be fkin kidding me right??
Oh... one more thing I just remembered... The Philippine U16's during last years AFC U16 qualifiers, I remember them using that jersey as their home kit. So, that design is definitely not new.
ReplyDeletedoesnt matter... i love it and thats all that matters. i want to have one.
ReplyDeleteI heard of the Mizuno contest but haven't really paid attention to it.
ReplyDeleteSo this kit's not new then. I stand corrected.
And "let the dawgs out" does sound pretty lame, does it? :D
But never the mind, I love this kit! I just wish it was more form fitting with the sleeves cut shorter. I do find the shorts a bit baggy.
Bring back the short shorts!
ReplyDelete