PHILIPPINE Football Team-Azkals second goalie and Bago City-native Eduard Sacapano is up to the challenge to take full responsibility to defend the Azkals’ goal against Mongolia Blue Wolves in the upcoming 2012 AFC-Challenge Cup second leg scheduled on March 15, 2011 at
Ulan Bator in Mongolia.
Sacapano was thrust into the role after national team goal keeper Neil Etheridge, who was the goalkeeper in the first match against Mongolia, confirmed that he will not be playing in the second game because of prior commitments to Fulham Football Club (FC), now ranked 13th in the English Premier League.
With 10 days to go before the much-awaited Azkals-Blue Wolves match, the nationals are taking lots of adjustments to adapt to the game plan which includes the change of goalkeeper.
“I am so excited for this chance to play in the second leg. Coach Hans Michael Weiss is adding some keepers’ trainings and putting me in different challenges during practices,” Sacapano told Sun.Star-Bacolod.
“He (Weiss) worked so hard to put me in good shape for the upcoming match,” he added.
On the other hand, Weiss, in a national paper, expressed confidence on Sacapano following his good performance in several tune-up games of the Azkals.
Meanwhile, the Azkals, after undergoing high-altitude training in Baguio City last week, continue their preparation at the International School in Taguig City, Metro Manila to familiarize themselves with the artificial pitch similar to the one in Ulan Bator.
On Monday, the team will fly to Fukushima, Japan for the continuation of their adjustment training for five days before flying to Ulan Bator. The Japanese Football Association has also arranged tune up matches for the Azkals on those days.
Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on March 05, 2011.
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It's funny that Sacapano used to be the starting keeper when Etheridge wasn't in the Azkals yet.
ReplyDeleteNow that the Azkals have a keeper from the premiership, nagkaroon ng big revelation na hindi pala ganun kagaling si Sacapano at kailangan pa syang i-retrain.
I'm not trying to diss Sacapano...It's just kinda sad.
Sacapano wasn't starting GK before Etheridge was found. It was Casas! However he was first choice for the 2006 AFC Challenge Cup but that's only due to the unavailability of Casas at that time.
ReplyDeleteSacapano was never great to begin with. A smaller and younger Michael Casas was always preferred ahead of him. The 2006 AFC Challenge Cup was also Sacapano's debut. Casas was already a full international sine 2004.
^
ReplyDeleteoh. I didn't know that. Alam ko lang na naging starter sya at some point.
I think too much focus is being given this selection which is just ending up in putting more pressure on the guy. So etheridge is out, we move on. If Casas was eligible then he should be trying out with the team but at this point Sacapano is the most experienced. The coach has made a decision, lets not judge the guy until we see how he does in the big stage.
ReplyDeleteSoccer trivia:
ReplyDeleteWhat was the coldest soccer(football match) ever played?
Lech Poznan against Juventus : UEFA Champions League10-11 season.
The temperature was recorded at -16 degrees at celcius scale.
Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/When_was_t...#ixzz1FldFqtgz
Hope the Philippine Mongolia match doesn't break the record.
Current temperature in Mongolia for Mar. 6 is Max/Min -11/-27. With 9 days to go, we are in the ballpark of breaking the record folks.
^^Very random...
ReplyDeleteAt Jay...
Sacapano is the most experienced in what sense? Because if it's national team experience, Casas is more experienced than him in that regard. Even then, I'm not a fan of Casas either. Not many people were a fan of his as well.
This is why I believe that for this year's SEA Games, they shouldn't bother with Etheridge anymore and they should use a new goalkeeper so that a better backup for Etheridge is blooded. Therefore we don't have to use Sacapano when Etheridge isn't available.