Team needs all the help it can get, says Palami

By Cedelf P. Tupas
Philippine Daily Inquirer

SINGAPORE—Amid the raucous atmosphere marking Singapore’s entry to the AFF Suzuki Cup finals at Jalan Besar Stadium here Wednesday night, Philippine team manager Dan Palami stayed cool and composed, trying to console each player who approached him.

It was not the time for him to sulk—he will deal with the disappointment later in private—after the Azkals’ 0-1 loss to the Singaporeans in the second leg of their semifinal clash.

“It’s one of those occasions when you had to be strong,” said Palami. “You had to show everybody this is not the end.”

The Azkals returned to the tournament that sparked the renaissance of the sport two years ago with heavy expectations because of a stronger, more experienced lineup.

Along with the Philippine Football Federation, Palami’s task was to ensure that the squad was prepared for battle. The Azkals held camps in the United States and the Middle East in their buildup to the tournament and made sure that the Europe-based aces would be able to join the team for the Suzuki Cup.

In the group stage in Bangkok, Palami had to buy studs for several players as they struggled to cope with the soft and soggy pitch at Supachalasai Stadium. It was this change in footwear that helped keep Phil Younghusband stay on his feet to deliver the first goal in the

2-0 win over Myanmar that sent them to the last four.

“Any loss for me is tough but this one really hurts because I’ve been spending to prepare this team. But to fold up now would be to even let the team down more,” said Palami, who started helping bankroll the squad in 2010.

Palami said the Azkals are still looking forward to the AFC Challenge Cup next year and the 2014 Suzuki Cup, where they hope to finally end their wait for a title.

“More than ever, the team has to be supported,” said Palami. “Of course, it’s also imperative that other individuals support the team. If not, we will continue to plod on. We will certainly get up from this fall.”

inquirer.net

Azkals’ dream Suzuki Cup run ends

By Cedelf P. Tupas
Philippine Daily Inquirer

SINGAPORE—Facing an opponent it had already defeated twice in the last three months and held scoreless in 270 minutes, the Philippines’ chances of crashing the AFF Suzuki Cup finals for the first time at the expense of Singapore couldn’t have been any better.

And perhaps this was the reason why the 0-1 loss to the three-time champion Lions in the second leg Wednesday night hurt the most out of their three semifinal stints in major tournaments the last two years.

“The odds were a little bit in our favor, that’s why it’s hard to take,” said stand-in skipper Rob Gier, who was also part of the side that reached the semifinals of the Suzuki Cup in 2010 and the AFC Challenge Cup early this year.

“The fact that we thought at least we can get to the final is what really makes it painful.”

Striker Phil Younghusband shared the same sentiment.

“I think this feels worse with all the expectation, the team we had, the players we had, we felt we could have gone further and that’s disappointing than the two other ones,” he said.

While Younghusband scored the goal that helped lift the Azkals past Myanmar, Gier anchored a resolute backline that laid the foundation for another stirring run in the region’s most prestigious tournament, which they also brought to the Philippines for the first time with a second straight semifinal appearance.

The Azkals conceded only three goals in five matches, including a run of 292 minutes without yielding a goal.

The Azkals’ defense was finally unlocked in the 19th minute by striker Khairul Amri, who has a penchant of rising on the big stage, having scored in the 2004 and 2007 finals when Singapore won the title.

The goal came off a quick and short free kick taken on the left and Amri, with nobody closing him down, fired the ball past a number of bodies inside the box, leaving Eduard Sacapano stranded on his spot.

The Azkals piled up the pressure in the second half with the introduction of captain Chieffy Caligdong. But the Lions refused to waver and almost often caught the Azkals napping on the counterattack.

And for once, the team that had been known to do well in the second half failed to conjure its magic.

Azkals coach Michael Weiss said Singapore, which is gunning for a record four AFF titles, deserved to win, although he called the goal that Amri scored a “gift.”

“Their goal was a gift. In the last 10 days we’ve been talking about set-pieces, then we give away such a simple set-piece,” said Weiss, whose squad repeated their famous win over Vietnam in the group stage in Bangkok. “It was a very nice shot, but it shouldn’t have happened.”

Weiss added: “They had that extra bit of caution and coolness and we didn’t produce too many chances.”

Younghusband said Singapore stifled the Azkals similar to the way the Philippines had also shut down its opponents in the tournament.

“I think they did an ‘Azkals’ on us,” he said. “We had much of the possession in the second half. There were so many bodies. It was so difficult to find space and create opportunities as teams found difficulty doing it against us playing that way.”

Azkals manager Dan Palami said he remains proud of what the Azkals had achieved in the tournament.

“It’s been a very tough journey,” he said. “It’s hard that it had to end here but … they went down fighting.”

inquirer.net

Suzuki Cup semis stint a "good achievement" for Azkals says Coach Weiss

Despite failing to qualify for the finals of the ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup, members of the Philippine national team can still hold their heads high, said coach Hans Michael Weiss.
The Azkals were hoping to surpass their Cinderella run to the semifinals two years ago, but fell short of that goal after losing to Singapore Wednesday.
“It was still a good achievement for us to reach the semifinals and hopefully we can learn from this and come back stronger in the future,” said Weiss.
The German coach, who had a word war with Lions coach Radojko Avramovic prior to the start of the series, had more gracious words for Singapore after the loss.
“Singapore’s extra portion of experience and coolness under pressure helped them today and overall, they are deserved winners over the two games,” Weiss said.
The Azkals will next compete in qualifiers for the 2014 Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup, which the Philippines will host next March.
The Challenge Cup is a tournament for emerging football nations in Asia. The Azkals finished third in that competition earlier this year.

interaksyon

Azkals bow to Singapore in Lions den

In the end, the Azkals did not have enough bite.



The Philippine national football team fell to Singapore, 1-nil, to lose by the same score on aggregate and end its journey in the ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup Wednesday at the Jalan Besar Stadium in the city-state.

The Azkals came into the match with high hopes after battling the Lions to a nil-nil draw in Manila last Saturday. But Singapore showed its fangs early in the match, as Khairul Amri scored off a set piece at the 19th minute after catching the Philippine defense napping, breaking the Azkals’ three-match clean sheet streak.


Singapore continued to dominate most of the first half, controlling possession as the Philippines played sloppy football, before the Azkals showed some signs of life just before the break.

Things seemed to turn around for the Azkals in the second half, controlling the possession and building up their offense better. Chieffy Caligdong and Demitrius Omphroy came on as substitutes to try to stir things up for the Azkals, but were still unable to get the equalizing goal that could have carried the squad to the semifinals.

Azkals coach Hans Michael Weiss threw caution to the wind late in the match, subbing in forward Denis Wolf for defender Carli De Murga and playing with just three men on defense in a last-ditch effort to score. But luck didn’t smile on the Azkals despite numerous chances late.


Singapore, a two-time champion of the tournament, advances to the final against the winner of the other semifinal series between Thailand and Malaysia.

interaksyon

AFF Suzuki Cup semifinal : Singapore 1-0 Philippines FT

AFF Suzuki Cup semifinal , second leg today in Singapore .

First leg : Philippines 0-0 Singapore



Start 8 pm (Manila time)

TV : AKTV and Start Sports

Livescore : www.futbol.24.com

Livestream : http://www.hahasport.com/  and http://www.frombar.tv/

Azkals Starting XI: Gier, J. Guirado, J. YHusband, Cagara, P. YHusband, Sacapaño, A. Guirado, de Murga, Lucena, Mulders, & Reichelt



Update :

18 mins  Singapore score 1-0
1-0 HT

Chieffy in , Reichelt out

60 mins still 1-0
61 mins Omphroy in , James Younghusband out
1-0 FT

Singapore to AFF Suzuki Cup finals

Azkals urged to win for Manny

By Olmin Leyba

SINGAPORE – Azkals fanatics have given the Pinoy booters an extra reason to hurdle Singapore and book a first-ever berth to the AFF Suzuki Cup finals.

Hitting the pitch three days since boxing icon Manny Pacquiao's shocking knockout loss to rival Juan Manuel Marquez over in the US, the Azkals have received countless messages from fans urging them to somehow soothe Phl sports' bruised pride by stamping their class on Southeast Asia's best.

"Immediately after Manny's fight, I received dozens of calls and text messages and the funny thing was, they were saying, 'no pressure but please win this for Manny, for the country.' And we know how much a good news it would be, a lift for Phl sports if we get to the championship," said Azkals manager Dan Palami.

"And I'm telling myself, 'no pressure' but I think this is something that can actually be done due to the kind of talent we have and the preparation we've had. It's just a matter of really settling down early and making sure we get to control the game at an earlier stage," he added.

Co-captain Rob Gier admitted it would be an added pressure but something they should welcome.

"I think there's an extra responsibility on our shoulders now. But for me, I love that kind of pressure. That's why we play the game; otherwise, we'll just play down the park without pressure and enjoy football like that. It's one thing about being a pro and playing the game at this level," he said.

 

Fellow skipper Chieffy Caligdong said they will try to learn from the Pacman's fatal mistake.

"Lesson learned yun. Pag sobrang kumpyansa minsan, one mistake, talo. (It's a lesson for us, too. Don't get overconfident. One mistake and you're done)," said Caligdong. "Kung bibigyan kami ng chance sa second leg, kukunin namin, hindi lang para sa sarili, para sa pride at honor ng bayan (If the opportunity arises in the second leg, we'll pounce on it, for country's pride and honor)."

philstar

Azkals poised for breakthru

By Cedelf P. Tupas
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Coach Michael Weiss is comfortable at the thought of his Philippine Azkals soaking up the pressure and waiting for their chance against a Singapore side expected to be on attack mode right from the get-go in the second leg of their AFF Suzuki Cup semifinals tomorrow.

The counter-attacking game has suited the Azkals for much of the tournament and, although he would have loved his side to be confident in possession, Weiss sees the Azkals relying on their solidity at the backline and their ability to create scoring chances in transition.

The Azkals and Lions fought to a goalless standoff Saturday night at Rizal Memorial Stadium, with the second leg to be played at the 8,000-seater Jalan Besar Stadium, which has an artificial pitch.

A scoring draw would be enough for the Azkals to advance due to the away goals rule, and Weiss said their chances only got better with the return of midfielder Jerry Lucena for the second leg.

“We will not risk much; the pitch in Jalan Besar is pretty tight,” Weiss said before the team left for Singapore yesterday morning.

“We have to be patient because we expect to see a more active Singapore on their (home) turf, which may not be the worst thing for us. Against this defense, it will not be easy for Singapore to score even on home soil.”

One player who has stood out defensively for Weiss in the last two matches is Fil-Spanish rightback Carli de Murga, who coped well with the threat posed by Aleksandar Duric on the left wing Saturday night.

“He has been fantastic for us,” said Weiss of the 24-year-old who was only called into action when Ray Jonsson sustained a quad muscle injury in the match against Vietnam.

“The defensive approach has worked for us, but sooner or later we would have to change our style by playing more possession.”

The depth of the side remains the least of Weiss’ worries with defender Jason Sabio and midfielder Chris Greatwich, who scored the late equalizer against the Lions in their group match in Vietnam two years ago, still to play.

Striker Denis Wolf has been used sparingly because of an ankle injury.

Meanwhile, tickets to the second leg are reportedly sold out with Singapore-based Filipinos complaining of the little allotment for Azkals fans for Wednesday’s match.

The Filipinos beat the Singaporeans, 2-0, in a friendly last Sept. 7 at Jurong West Stadium.

inquirer.net

Tickets for Singapore semifinal soldout !

Tickets for AFF Suzuki Cup semifinal in Singapore for Philippines fans was sold out in just 20 minutes today . Only around 400 tickets was allocated for Philippines.

Last week all tickets for home fans was soldout .

Azkals get reinforcement for 2nd leg

By Olmin Leyba

Fil-Danish Jerry Lucena is set to rejoin the Azkals and add maturity and stability in the midfield, something that was glaringly missing, especially in the first half, in the Philippines’ scoreless draw with Singapore in the first leg of the AFF Suzuki Cup semifinal leg 1 in Manila last Saturday.
Lucena, absent in the Azkals’ historic home game at Rizal Memorial due to club commitment, meets up with his teammates today in Singapore, giving him enough time to shake off jet lag and link up with the rest of the Azkals in time for Wednesday night’s second leg at Jalan Besar Stadium.
“Having Jerry Lucena in the second leg will definitely give us more proposition in midfield and build ‘kalma’ (calm) in buildup time,” said Azkals coach Michael Weiss.
Without Lucena, the Azkals’ midfield was largely in disarray against the visiting Lions, particularly in the first 45 minutes, where the home team fumbled on possessions and got lucky the Lions didn’t hit the target in spite of numerous chances.
“Our midfield in the first half was weak, to be honest,” said Weiss, who made an adjustment at the interval, sending in Marwin Angeles in place of Jason de Jong, to try to change the complexion of the match and create offensive chances.
“If the midfield doesn’t show up and distribute balls very well, you end up with loose balls and you end up playing defensively with no time to create chances,” he added.

The Azkals regrouped and took the fight to the visitors in the final half but they failed to cash in on their scoring opportunities.
Still, Weiss said the scoreless draw is a “good result” as they didn’t concede an “away” goal, which could play a big factor in case the second leg ends up in another stalemate.
Under the home-and-away format, if the two teams finish the second leg tied on goal aggregate, the one with the higher “away” goal will advance.
“With a victory or a draw with goal, we’re through. That’s what we’ll be working on,” he said.
“Now, the ball is in Singapore. They have to do something. They have to be more active and that gives us chances for counterattack.”
The Lions will naturally gun for the win at home.
“We had our chances in the first half and we were more creative but this happens. We are still in a good position, though. If we win in Singapore then we are in the finals,” said coach Radojko Avramovic.
Weiss said the key between now and Wednesday night is to make sure his wards heal and refresh their aching bodies from the bruising match.
“What’s important is recovery time. How quickly do you recover and we have to replenish energy and get back in good shape. But overall, I regard my chances as very good,” he said.
He also expects Cagara, who played just 24 hours since arriving from Denmark, to be 100 percent and “very strong” for the return match.

philstar

PH Azkals stay upbeat

By Cedelf P. Tupas
Philippine Daily Inquirer

AFTER holding Singapore scoreless for the third straight match Saturday night, the Philippines has all the reasons to be confident as it leaves for the second leg of their AFF Suzuki Cup semifinal duel with the three-time champion at Jalan Besar Stadium on Wednesday.

The Azkals, playing at home for the first time in the 16-year history of the tournament, battled the Lions to a nil-nil stalemate in the first leg at Rizal Memorial Stadium Saturday night with coach Michael Weiss getting a measure of satisfaction from the result.

“I’m actually very contented with the result,” said Weiss. “We wish we could have gotten more, but it’s difficult to take too many risks in a semifinal.”

The Azkals, who also reached the semifinals last year, lacked creativity in the first half with their midfielders struggling to make a mark in the game before coming off the break with a sense of urgency that enabled them to put the Lions on the backfoot.

Patrick Reichelt looked dangerous on the left flank in a torrid second-half effort while Carli de Murga proved solid playing against Singapore’s veteran striker Aleksandar Duric.

Angel Guirado also couldn’t craft a clear-cut opening, while Phil Younghusband found the Singapore defense tough to break down in the third meeting between the two teams over the last three months that saw the Azkals score two shutout victories.

Dennis Cagara, who arrived from Germany a day before the match, was substituted late in the match, feeling pain on his rib cage, after a battling performance against tricky Singaporean attacker Shahril Ishak.

Azkals manager Dan Palami said Cagara will be ready for the second leg on Wednesday where the Azkals will welcome back Jerry Lucena into the lineup.

Still, the scoreless draw leaves the door wide open for the Azkals to crash the finals for the first time. A scoring draw would be enough for the Azkals to advance to the next stage because of the away-goals rule.

“We’re still in the game going into the second leg,” said Younghusband. “We still have a chance in Singapore. I think the clean sheet is good at home. If we get one goal there, then we have a good chance.”

Rob Gier, who captained the side for the third straight match with Chieffy Caligdong coming off the bench, said the Azkals have it in them to come away with a result on Wednesday.

“I don’t know if we were overawed by the occasion,” said Gier. “I think it would take the second-half performance plus 20 percent (to win against Singapore) and I know we’ve got that in us.”

inquirer.net

Singapore hold Philippines in AFF Suzuki Cup semi

By Manuel Mogato | Reuters

MANILA, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Goalkeeper Eduard Sacapano's performance glossed over Philippines' defensive frailties in a goalless draw against Singapore in the first leg of the AFF Suzuki Cup semi-final on Saturday.

The partisan crowd at Manila's Rizal Memorial Stadium watched anxiously as Sacapano pulled off a number of first-half saves to thwart three-time champions Singapore.
Playing their first home match in the tournament's history, Philippines dished out a vastly improved performance in an eventful second half even though they could not break the stalemate.
Singapore host Philippines in the second leg at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Wednesday.
Saturday's match began with both teams observing one minute silence in memory of the victims of the Dec. 6 typhoon that left nearly 1,000 people dead or missing in southern Philippines.
Singapore were making dangerous inroads as soon as play started and the visitors nearly scored before the half hour mark when Sharik Ishak's header from a Aleksander Duric cross narrowly missed.
Sacapano was soon intercepting a dangerous Ishak cross and the home team's defence threatened to succumb under constant pressure.
Philippines did get a chance to grab the lead but Phil Younghusband's weak shot was easily dealt with by Singapore goalkeeper Mohamad Izwan Mahbud.
Marwin Angeles and Chieffy Caligdong came off the bench to add teeth to the Filipino attack in the second half but Singapore's compact defence ensured the visitors were unscathed.
"In general, it was a good game. They did not score, we did not score," Singapore coach Radojko Avramovic said.
"I think we lost concentration in the first half. We should have scored a goal in that period," said the Serb.
Singapore could also have scored in a rough second half but Duric's header off an Ishak cross sailed wide.
"The second half was much better but still not to the potential that we can play," Philippines' coach

Semi Final: Philippines vs Singapore (1st leg) - AFF Suzuki Cup 2012

Scoreless draw "good result" for Azkals , says Coach Weiss

Karl Decena, InterAKTV

The Philippine national men’s football team may have settled for a scoreless draw against Singapore Saturday night in the first leg of the 2012 ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup semifinals, but coach Hans Michael Weiss isn’t complaining about the result.
Weiss said keeping Singapore scoreless was a good result for the Azkals, as away goals in the Suzuki Cup semifinals have more value than the home goals. That means that in case of a tied aggregate score after the second leg, the away goals will determine which team will advance to the final.
“People think that we have to win the match. It’s not the case,” Weiss said after the match.
“I was saying to the players and the management that a 0-0 result is a very good result for us. If we have a 1-1 or 2-2, they’re gonna go to the final.”
Given the scenario, Weiss said that the pressure is now on Singapore to go on the attack in the second leg of the semifinals, set on December 12 at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
“Now, the ball is in Singapore. They have to do something. They have to be more active and that gives us chances for counterattack,” Weiss said.
Weiss is optimistic that a finals ticket is within reach fro the Azkals.
“We have all the possibility to be confident,” he said. “We now have to make the next step which is to reach the final.”

"Too cautious" Azkals battle batlle Singapore to scoreless draw

InterAKTV · Saturday

The Philippines and Singapore provided plenty of excitement but zero scoring for a boisterous Rizal Memorial Football Stadium crowd, battling to a nil-nil result Saturday in the first leg of their ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup semifinal series Saturday.
As anticipated, the Azkals and the Lions were embroiled in a highly-physical encounter, with both teams dishing out fouls and referees allowing plenty of leeway for the players.
Singapore started strong, dominating most of the first half by stretching the Azkals back four by sending three attackers up the field. But the Lions could not convert on numerous opportunities, with the Azkals surviving on luck and confident goalkeeping by Eduard Sacapaño.
The Philippines looked particularly energized after the break, turning the tables on the Singaporeans, with Patrick Reichelt leading the attack from the left flank. The Azkals had plenty of opportunities, including a nice curl by Paul Mulders on a free kick that was just inches wide at the 71st minute.
The energized Manila crowd, which was witnessing the first Suzuki Cup final four match on Philippines soil, began chanting the name of Azkals hero Chieffy Caligdong late in the second half. The veteran winger finally came on at the 76th minute and had a couple of chances, but poor control did not give him enough daylight to repeat his heroics earlier in the tournament against Vietnam.
Azkals coach Hans Michael Weiss rued the missed chances for his team.
“We have to be more positive, optimistic. We’re a little bit too cautious, intimidated,” he said.
“We’ve played a good tournament so far, we’ve got to take the next step to reach the finals.”
The result wasn’t all bad for the Azkals, who kept a clean sheet for the third straight match. By not conceding an away goal, the Philippines can win the series with at least a 1-1 result in the second leg of the tie set in Singapore on December 12.


interaksyon

AFF Suzuki Cup : Philippines 0-0 Singapore

AFF Suzuki Cup Semifinal today at 8 pm , Rizal Memorial Stadium

Philippines vs Singapore

TV : AKTV from 7 pm

Livestream : http://www.hahasport.com or http://www.frombar.tv/v-4/8/132/v-493220.html


Livescore : www.futbol24.com

Starting XI : Sacapano , De Murga , Gier , Juani G , Cagara, Reichelt , Mulders , De Jong , James Y , Phil Y and Angel Guirado

0-0 HT

45 mins Marwin Angeles in for Jason de Jong

77 min Chieffy in for Reichelt
87 mins Christiaens in for Cagara

0-0 FT

Singapore coach bullish vs Philippine Azkals

MANILA, Philippines -- The mood was light as the pre-match press conference was about to begin.



But when Singapore coach Radojko Avramovic began to speak, everybody listened to what he had to say.


“I know the Philippines beat Singapore in the last two times we played them, but those were exhibition matches, and the Philippines should know now that we have won this tournament twice and we know what it takes to win,” said Avramovic.


“We will make sure they will have to wait two more years to have a chance to win this tournament.”


Meanwhile, Azkals team manager Dan Palami said the Philippines intends to play the spoiler.



“We know Singapore is in familiar territory and they have been here two times already. The Philippines will not be complacent in its quest for that dream that has been elusive so far, we are a young team and but we want to, I'm sure in historical perspective, Singapore has had a good run at it but the Philippines intends to write its own history,” said Palami.


“We hope that with full respect to Singapore, we hope that with both teams playing well that we have the result that we want,” he added.

With fans expected to fill up the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, Palami said this will be a huge factor for the Azkals.

He noted that it’s a dream come true not just for the fans but also for the players to finally play a semifinals home game for their kababayans.

Coach Avramovic did take note again of the European lineage of most of the Azkals on the pitch and said Singapore players actually can match up better with the size and physical style of play of the Philippine team.

He added they have learned the lessons from their two friendly match losses and are ready to come out victorious this time around.

The Azkals face the Lions in the first leg of their home-and-away 2-leg series starting 8 p.m. on Saturday for the chance to battle either Thailand or Malaysia in the finals.

ABS CBN News

Villaflor: The new normal

By Noel S. Villaflor
Footnote

Thursday, December 6, 2012

THIS is it.
As it faces traditional powerhouse Singapore tomorrow night in their semifinal first leg of the AFF Suzuki Cup in Manila, the Philippine Azkals are on the cusp of rewriting Southeast Asian football history, again.
Azkals fans, of course, would never find that tiring, much more surprising. But several years ago, no Filipino football fan in his right mind would dare envision hosting a knockout match at home at this level.
And don’t blame the football fan if he starts looking beyond the semis and fancies a spot in the final. The idea just does not sound that ridiculous anymore.
And what about the Philippines lifting the 2012 AFF Suzuki Cup? Three games are what
separates dream from reality.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There is still tomorrow night’s difficult match to hurdle, and as Coach Michael Weiss prefers, it’s better to take things “one match at a time.” Besides, this is football, everything can happen and everything is still up for grabs.
There’s no denying, however, that the football landscape in this region has indeed changed, largely due to the Azkals, whose presence has unhinged the system and messed up the status quo.
So imagine how aggravated the traditional powerhouses of Asean football must be. One can sense it from the condescending remarks that match commentators working for foreign media outfits had let slip while covering the group stage matches.
That is understandable, of course, considering that for the pre-2010 editions of the Asean football championship, the Big Five – Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia – comfortably shared the spoils of the prestigious tournament among themselves.
Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore have championship trophies on their shelves, while Indonesia has four runner-up trophies to brag about.
Since the inaugural Asean Football Championship, then known as the Tiger Cup, in 1996 the only team coming close to spoiling the party was Myanmar, when it made the
semifinals in 2004. Things quickly got back to “normal” after that.
But unknown to many, the Philippines also made a bit of history in 2004: for the first time since the inaugural cup, the national team finally succeeded in not landing at the bottom of the group, thanks to the entry of newly born Timor-Leste, whom we beat to log our first win ever in the tournament. (We were cheering that feat, weren’t we, Mike Limpag?)
Of course, things also quickly got back to normal when the tournament resumed in 2007. The Philippines, now nicknamed the Azkals, reclaimed its special spot as bottom-feeder in the group stages.
Things got a bit worse in 2008 when the Philippines failed to qualify for the tournament proper.
In 2010, the Azkals turned the Suzuki Cup on its head and made it to the semifinals for the first time. The nation celebrated and embraced the sport as its own.
While Filipino football fans announced the renaissance of Philippine football, the pundits who represent the traditional powerhouses were critical of the Azkals’ success, with some calling the 2010 success a fluke.
Regardless of the result, tomorrow night’s semifinal clash between the Philippines and Singapore has debunked all that talk about a fluke.
And whether the traditional powerhouses like it or not, the Philippine Men’s National Team will remain a force to be reckoned with in the region in the years to come.
That is the new normal. Live with it.
(nsvillaflor@gmail.com)

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on December 07, 2012.

Azkals under pressure to win, reach AFF final

By Olmin Leyba

MANILA, Philippines - Unlike in 2010 when they made a surprise semifinal appearance in the AFF Suzuki Cup, the Azkals enter the Last-4 against Singapore as an expected participant this deep into the ongoing tourney.
And the pressure to deliver and live up to expectations is higher than ever.
“Pressure is mounting but we look at it more as a challenge rather than an obstacle na pahirap (a highly difficult task),” said Azkals team manager Dan Palami.
Since shocking the region two years ago, the Azkals have gained much progress and seen a rise in stature. In the latest Fifa world rankings, the Pinoy booters are 143rd overall, and they are actually No. 2 among Asean nations.
“Everybody’s motivated by the tag of being one of the favorites. Everybody’s trying to step up and make sure we play according to our rankings,” Palami said.
The Azkals had been drawn in a tough bracket in the group stages, beating Vietnam, 1-0, and Myanmar, 2-0, to offset an opening day loss to host and Group A winner Thailand and book a return trip to the semis.


Some supporters are already thinking about a possible historic finals stint, or even championship, for Phl XI.
“The pressure also helps to keep us on our toes and to make sure we won’t get relaxed, complacent. If we do that, all the teams will be coming and pounding on us, making sure they disrupt our rise and pull us down,” Palami said.
The Azkals are buoyed by the fact that they will be playing in front of scores of followers in the first leg at Rizal Memorial on Saturday night.
“We’re trying to be cautious but optimistic with our chances. At the same time, we’re preparing hard,” he said.

philstar

Boost for Philippines as Guirado, Cagara receive green light for semi

Overseas-based players Angel Guirado and Dennis Cagara have been released by their respective clubs and will be back in harness for the first leg of the AFF Suzuki Cup semi-final between the Philippines and Singapore in Manila on Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.



National team liaison officer Ace Bright said on Wednesday that he talked with Guirado and Cagara on the phone to confirm the news.


"They will play in the home game (if selected). I am trying to get their plane tickets so they can be back in Manila at least by Friday,” he said.


Cagara, who plays for German Third Division Club Karlsruher, and Guirado, of Indian side Salgaocar, were not with the team when they flew back home on Saturday from the Group A matches in Thailand.


Following an initial 2-1 loss to hosts Thailand, the Azkals bounced back with victories over Vietnam and Myanmar to secure a semi-final spot for the second straight time in the regional football showcase after placing second in the group behind the Thais.


The duo’s availability has boosted the stock of the Filipinos in their quest to reassert mastery over The Lions, who they beat in back-to-back friendly matches recently.


Two years ago, the Azkals missed the opportunity of playing the semis in front of their own fans for the lack of a suitable venue but an upgrade to the Rizal Memorial Stadium has paved the way for a first-ever AFF Suzuki Cup match on home turf.

Guirado made an impact after coming on as a substitute in the last two matches and the bull-like striker scored the second goal in the 2-0 victory over Myanmar, latching on to a through ball and powering a left foot shot into the net.


“Boss, thank you very much for your attention to my (situation),” Guirado wrote on the social networking site Twitter by way of thanks to team manager Dan Palami.


Cagara has been a daunting defensive presence and will be eager to reprise his role alongside fellow defenders Rob Gier, Juani Guirado and Ray Jonsson, who, according to Palami, is recovering fast from his quadriceps injury and could play this weekend.


Also tipped to be back in fighting form is versatile midfielder Patrick Reichelt, who broke several teeth after colliding with Angel Guirado in training in Bangkok, but has had them fixed by the dentist since returning to the country.


Jerry Lucena, who left the team after turning out in the second game against Vietnam to play for his Danish Superliga Club Esbjerg also this Saturday, may be back for the second leg in Singapore at the Jalan Besar Stadium next Wednesday.

AFF Suzuki Cup website

Azkals want 3 Fil-fors back vs Singapore

By Olmin Leyba

MANILA, Philippines - As the Azkals get back to camp after booking a return trip to the AFF Suzuki Cup semifinals, Phl XI management is working double time convincing the respective clubs of Jerry Lucena, Dennis Cagara and Angel Guirado to release the trio for the Last-4 duel with Singapore.

Midfielder Lucena of Esbjerg fB in the Danish Superliga, defender Dennis Cagara of Karlsruher SC in the 3. Fußball-Liga, and midfielder Guirado of Salgaocar FC in the I-League have all rejoined their clubs overseas after playing stellar roles in the Azkals’ campaign in the Suzuki Cup group stages in Bangkok last week.

The Azkals hope to have them back for another crack at history – the finals of Southeast Asia’s football showpiece.

“From the lineup we had in Bangkok, some of the players are yet to be released by their clubs,” Azkals manager Dan Palami said during yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s Malate.

He said Lucena’s club has a game on Saturday, the same day the Azkals are to play Singapore for the first leg of the semis at Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, but they could ask for his presence for the second leg on Dec. 12 over in Singapore.

As for Cagara and Guirado, Palami said they expect to hear a word from their respective clubs soon.

Three other overseas-based players – defenders Rob Gier of Ascot United and Juani Guirado of Racing Lermeño and midfielder Paul Mulders of ADO Den Haag – are already cleared to play and will stay in Manila in their semis buildup. Fil-Icelandic defender Ray Jonsson, who tore his quad and missed the last game against Myanmar, is expected to be back in action.

But even if the foreign-based players wouldn’t get the greenlight, Palami is positive the Azkals would still be competitive.

“We still have players like Chris Greatwich, Demit Omphroy, who couldn’t play in Bangkok because he got stricken by flu, and others like Marwin Angeles who could step up in the midfield position,” said Palami.

“I think the options are open, the depth is there, and we’ll see what the coaching staff will have to say,” he added.

Fil-German goalkeeper Roland Muller, who is listed in the final 22 but couldn’t come in the group stages, remains doubtful for the semis. But Palami is confident Ed Sacapaño will rise to the challenge again.

“Ed’s performance has been really outstanding the past three games and we look forward to him playing the same way as he did this Saturday. Hopefully, he’ll solidify his stature as a go-to goalkeeper when our foreign-based goalkeepers are not available,” the Azkals boss said.

Thrust into the starting role in the absence of Neil Etheridge and Muller, Sacapaño performed creditably with clean slates against Vietnam (1-0) and Myanmar (2-0) that offset a 1-2 setback to host and Group A winner Thailand.

“It’s brought confidence to Ed and the team as a whole, knowing that even if our No. 1 and 2 goalkeepers are not there, they can count on Ed already to man to post and make sure opponents can’t easily score against us,” Palami said.

The Azkals returned from a two-day break to train for the showdown with Singapore. They had one session at the Ateneo field yesterday afternoon and had set morning and afternoon sessions in the succeeding days at Rizal.

Although they beat the Lions in friendlies before, 2-0 in Singapore and 1-0 in Cebu, they expect a tougher rival this time around with the stakes higher.

“History will not count a lot in his particular game on Saturday because they’ve really prepared for this tournament as well. They are three-time champions and I believe they’ll come in fighting and trying to take a point here in the Phl. But we’ll be ready to face them,” Palami said.

philstar