01 July 2011

We'll beat Lankans in Manila

MANILA, Philippines — The German coach of the Philippine football team admits he’s not happy, but is not about to cry over spilled milk.

“I’m not the happiest man in the world but I’m not too disappointed. We take the result as it is and prepare for the match on Sunday,” Michael Weiss told interaction.com, a television website.

The Azkals barely escaped with a 1-all draw with Sri Lanka Wednesday in the first leg of their opening World Cup qualifying match in Colombo.

Weiss said the Azkals could have won the match had they got off to a bright start.

“We could have finished the match in the first half. But we didn't do it and we got punished. The goal was unlucky, it was deflected. We continued to play and pressed for a goal in the second half. Unfortunately, we couldn’t finish them off,” Weiss said.

“We were lucky at the end. It’s a good result for us. We wanted to win but things don’t turn out as planned,” he said.

Weiss said pitch conditions were difficult.

“I don’t want to make it an excuse but it was difficult to have a passing game on that pitch. We had to play long balls. It’s not my favorite style of play but we were able to create chances with it. I cannot hang my head down right now,” Weiss said.

The Filipinos were set to return last night, giving them two days to prepare for the second leg to be held at the Rizal Memorial stadium on Sunday.

Sri Lanka, a world power in cricket but a minnow in football, scored the first goal in the 43rd minute when Chathura Guranarathna’s free kick thundered past the Azkals’ wall, partially hit the head of Rob Gier and beat goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.

The Azkals, however, did not lose hope and turned to Fil-American rookie Nate Burkey to score the equalizer seven minutes later.

Burkey, inserted into the game in place of injured striker Phil Younghusband, was at the right place and at the right time to head home the all-important goal. He completed a follow up header off a missed header by James Younghusband, a play set up by a gorgeous free kick by Caligdong.

Despite the less-than-stellar result, Weiss remained confident they can overcome Sri Lanka at home.

The Azkals need only to hold Sri Lanka scoreless to get into the next round against Kuwait by virtue of away goal. If it ends at 1-1, an extra time will be needed, but if it closes out on a 2-2, the Philippines will be eliminated.

Team manager Dan Palami said the Azkals won’t settle for a goal-less draw.

“We would have wanted a two-goal cushion. But we can’t always get what we want. We have to make sure that we learn from the game we played today,” Palami said. “It’s going to be different crowd, a different pitch on Sunday and for as long as we learned from this draw, we will be okay. We will go for the win and not just the draw.”

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Int'l media to cover Azkals

Meanwhile, there’s so much interest in Philippine football’s renaissance nowadays that a drove of international media is expected to cover the Azkals’ home match against Sri Lanka in the first round of the qualifying tournament for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Rick Olivares, the media officer for the July 3 match, said the British Broadcasting Company and the European Press Photo Agency, and Stuttgarter Sportkurier, a news agency from the capital state of Baden-Wuerttemberg in southern Germany, are among the over hundreds of media outfits which applied for accreditation for the match at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

“It’s surprising that so many international media is interested in Philippine football,” Olivares said. “This is the sign of the globalization for the sport.”

Manila Bulletin

5 comments:

  1. “It’s surprising that so many international media is interested in Philippine football,”

    RATHER "It’s surprising why Philippines is interested in football"

    It's not the country they're interested rather the sports itself. Dunno if this happens to basketball. Maybe they do but all local media. What Azkals did and football itself is now growing in our country. Hope it will continue and let us support the team and the whole PH football.

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  2. Well said coach Weiss.

    And the international media are just so amazed at the thought that a country that is highly westernized (influenced by americans) and favored the American's sport (basketball) was able to create this kind of interests to the world's most favorite game namely football/soccer=).........with the government and corporate sponsorship and aid as well as the TV and print media's coverage and lastly with Filipinos help and support the sport will truly last which is physiologically fit for a typical Filipino=)

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  3. Over a hundred? Impressive number considering this is what we'd call a Renaissance of Philippine football.

    Any publicity, especially a positive one, is good for the team. This will also bring awareness to countries that has never heard of Philippine football.

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  4. the local media played a big role in blocking the advancement of the sport . no coverage,no news,no sponsors no advertisements, no trophies no money, no sport. But still many Filipino fought, trained and worked hard for the love of football, with or without money and they are the real heroes. Not the players that can buy their way in. (this is true to all sport)
    the media practically concentrated on PBA (as influenced by the US). But with the so called media globalization NBA can be seen live on cable or local channels , who would want to watch PBA (media is loosing PBA). So Now media had no recourse but to find a new sports craze(which is not new afterall) to highlight and market for profit, it will be of no effort for local network to find sponsors because AFC & FIFA has tons of it .Very timely and lucky enough that good looking "Azkals" came into the picture and media made a big Fuzz out of it, are they really good ? NAhh . Ask local fans on what is our standing to be "even" qualified in the World cup , you will be amazed to hear that they think it is just one step away to glory. They should be informed the truth and not twisted lies from the local media.
    German & European media will definitely cover it because they are interested with half british and half german players that is on the team and support their own , not the philippines...
    And Of course international media will be interested, that finally the Phillippines is awakened by the fact that we are way way behind our schedule from the said " sign of the sport globalization.
    just my opinion...........watch the game, and enjoy.

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  5. correct me if if my theory is wrong...
    one network is losing its poll rating against 1 old station and 1 new station. Their rating is saved by the bowowee "Azkals" , hallelujah !!!

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