Weiss gripped by third-place thriller

Kathmandu: Philippines coach Michael Weiss admitted that the goal-fest in the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup Third-place Play-off took him completely by surprise as the Azkals edged Palestine 4-3 on Monday.
Phil Youngusband kicked things off in the fourth minute and reclaimed the Philippines' lead with a 24th minute penalty after Abdulhamid Abuhabib had equalised for Palestine four minutes earlier.

Angel Guirado, returning after missing the semi-final through suspension, made it 3-1 just before the break and while Abuhabib closed the gap with his second of the match in the 67th minute Angel's bother Juan Guirado restored the Philippines' two-goal cushion two minutes later.

Fahed Attal scored Palestine's third and although the West Asians pushed hard for the leveller the Philippines held out for the 4-3 win.

"Nobody would have expected the match to go that way," Weiss said after the Philippines' dramatic denouement at the Dashrath.

"It was a thriller. A do-or-die game and we were lucky in the end."

While fortune may have played a part in the third-place match, there can be no doubting it was an impressive campaign from the tournament outsiders, with the Azkals defeating former champions India and Tajikistan only to be narrowly beaten by 2010 runners-up Turkmenistan in the semi-finals.

And for Weiss Monday's outcome was a fair result for the Philippines and their fans the world over.

"Overall I think we deserved to finish third and I thank my players for their never-say-die attitude," said the German.

"I also want to take the opportunity to thank all our fans in the Philippines, in the Gulf, in Europe and all over the World who have supported us. Without them, what we have achieved would not have been possible.

"I am very proud to be part of this development of Philippines' football and I look forward to it continuing."


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