Azkals eye opening draw in Kuwait

BY BONG PEDRALVEZ

IN contrast to the all-out attack against Sri Lanka, the Philippines will play a "smart, defense-oriented" counterattacking game in its second-round Asian World Cup qualifying clash against Kuwait, according to German coach Michael Weiss.

"We will go 4-5-1," said Weiss of the formation he intends to use when the Azkals play the Kuwaitis in the opening leg at the 22,000-capacity Mohammad Al Hamad Stadium on July 23 in Kuwait City.

This means Weiss intends to pack the midfield with five players to control the ball, leaving one striker up front.

With his new formation, Weiss said the Azkals "will aim for a scoreless draw. That’s what we are going for. And I would be more than happy if we get that."

The Filipino booters went 4-4-2 in the two-game series against the Sri Lankans and advanced to the next round with a 5-1 aggregate tally, highlighted by an emphatic 4-0 shutout of the Brave Reds last July 3 at the jammed Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

Phil Younghusband was paired with Fil-Spanish forward Angel Guirado as the starting strikers in both matches, but Weiss intends to use Guirado in midfield against Kuwait "because he can work defensively for sure."

The one-game suspension of fleet-footed and heady Fil-German midfielder Stefan Schrock, who got booked two yellow cards against Sri Lanka, has forced Weiss to recall Fil-Danish Jason de Jong and tap Fil-German Patrick Hinrichsen to shore up the middle.

De Jong, who last saw action for the nationals during the Asian Challenge Cup qualifying match against Mongolia in Bacolod last Feb. 9, and Hinrichsen started practicing with the team last week.

The two will likely be aligned with Chieffy Caligdong, James Younghusband and Fil-Danish Jerry Lucena, who is also expected to be back in harness for the matches against Kuwait.

Weiss was more concerned with his backline which will miss skipper and solid defender Aly Borromeo, who was also slapped two yellow cards against the Red Devils.

Fil-Icelander Ray Jonsson will also be back for the Kuwait series, and will regain his spot at left back that was ably filled in by Fil-Dutch Paul Mulders who will be unavailable due to his club commitments.

Malaya

PSC prepares Rizal for bigger Azkals match

MANILA, Philippines - While the playing conditions were perfectly all right, a few problems remain to be solved regarding the hosting of the next Azkals match at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on July 28.

Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia said despite the heavy rains that fell on the Azkals match against the Sri Lankans last July 3, the pitch proved to be as good as advertised.

“In our report card, the field got a high grade, and it was all-weather. Despite the rains, you can see that when the players kick the ball, there was no splash,” said Garcia of the newly refurbished pitch.

The PSC chief thanked the Dela Salle University for shouldering most of the expenses for the work done on the football field.

“The spectators were happy. But it was far from perfect. There were some kinks that shouldn’t happen again. For us, it was a learning process as far as hosting a big event is concerned,” he said.

He mentioned a couple of things the PSC should work on in anticipation of a bigger match and a probably a bigger crowd when the Azkals play Kuwait for the second round of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.

“Since the next match is scheduled at seven in the evening, we need to work on the lighting, not actually in the field itself but in the perimeters, where the spectators would walk on their way out,” said Garcia.

“We need to light it up but we don’t need to spend much. There are lights in the nearby baseball field and all we need to do is refocus them to the walking area. Just to make sure it is well lighted.”




Garcia said based on what he saw, there was also a problem with the number of exit points especially the match.

“We had very limited exit points. We dread the day that if there was an emergency, people might get hurt because of a stampede. And there are lots of children watching the match,” he explained.

Over 13,000 came to watch the Azkals’ 4-0 win over the Sri Lankans, and demand for tickets for the next match should increase as it comes closer.

“We need safer exits. There was a huge bottleneck in the exit of the bleachers section through only one gate, the main gate of the PSC. Medyo delikado. The road was wide but not for a crowd that big,” Garcia said.

He also mentioned the need for additional comfort rooms or portable toilets on the day of the match.

Philstar

Tickets to next Azkals home game on sale starting July 16

By EARL VICTOR ROSERO


Tickets for the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers match on July 28 will go on sale starting 10am of July 16, a Saturday, according to the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) local organizing committee for the home matches.

Rick Olivares, media officer of the committee, said ticket prices will be at P200, P300, P2,000 and P3000 -- the same rates for the home match last July 3. The tickets will be available via Ticketworld, which charges a transaction fee of P6.00 for every ticket sold.

Some people who accessed Ticketworld online, like Victor Jallorina, an early bird at the previous home match, said it was very difficult for them to get through. Those who chose to go to ticket outlets in some commercial establishments came upon queues several persons long even before the outlets opened at 10am.

More GMA News TV

Kuwaiti national ‘scouts’ Azkals against Sri Lanka

DON’T look now, but Kuwait had somebody who scouted the second leg of the Asian World Cup qualifier between the Philippines and Sri Lanka at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium last Sunday.

A reliable source told Malaya Business Insight that Kuwaiti Badeer Ahmad, an AFC referee’s assessor, was among those who witnessed the Azkals whip the Red Devils 4-0 to advance to the second round against the Middle East country.

"He (Ahmad) was not here in an official capacity so it was obvious he was here to scout the match," the source said.

The nationals will be the underdogs against the Kuwaitis, who are currently ranked No. 102 in FIFA world ratings, 57 notches higher than the Filipinos.

The Azkals face the Asian soccer giants in Kuwait City in the opening leg on July 23 and the rematch on July 28.

The Kuwait team, however, won’t be an unknown quantity to his charges, according to German coach Hans Michael Weiss.

"Someone has already furnished us tapes of Kuwait when it played in the recent Asian Cup and I know it played and won recently against Saudi Arabia," Weiss said. "I know watching two matches will not be enough to make an evaluation but at least we have something to work on."

As part of their build-up for their clash against Kuwait, the Azkals are scheduled to leave for Bahrain next week to acclimatize to the Middle East heat and play a pair of tune-up games.

Malaya.com

Crack pair Schrock, Borromeo to miss WC leg in Kuwait after incurring 2 yellow cards

MANILA, Philippines — The task of beating Kuwait just got harder for the Philippine Azkals.

Skipper Aly Borromeo and crack midfielder Stephan Schrock will have to sit out the opening leg clash against the powerhouse from the Gulf region on July 23 after incurring two yellow cards in the first-round of the 2014 Fifa World Cup qualifying victory over Sri Lanka.

Both Borromeo and Schrock picked up a yellow card in each of the two legs against the Sri Lankans, whom the Azkals drubbed, 4-0, Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium for a 5-1 aggregate win.

The information was confirmed to the Philippine Daily Inquirer by Cathy Rivilla, an Asian Football Confederation match commissioner, who earlier said that the yellow cards in the first round will not be carried over to the next round.

It turned out that the yellow cards are only wiped out after the second round.

The absence of Borromeo, a central defender, and Schrock, an attacking midfielder, could prove to be a telling blow for the Azkals, who might also miss Fil-Dutch standout Paul Mulders because of club commitments.

Borromeo and Schrock, however, will be eligible for the Manila leg on July 28.

The 30-year-old Mulders, who signed a two-year deal with top-flight Dutch club ADO Den Haag only recently, was deployed as leftback in the absence of Ray Jonsson.

Mulders said he would have to check if his club could release him for the Kuwait clash.

Jonsson and midfielder Jerry Lucena are expected to be back for the Kuwait matches.

Azkals manager Dan Palami also said Phil Younghusband, despite cramping after scoring two goals against Sri Lanka Sunday, has been seen fit enough for the second round.

Finally flashing their newfound attacking strength that was further honed in training camp in Germany, the Azkals rolled over the Sri Lankans with their quick, short passing to reach the second round for the first time.

And Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta sees big things ahead for the Azkals.

“Give this team 10 more games and we will be a force to reckon with in Asia,” said Araneta, a former national player himself.

“I think that the performance against Sri Lanka showed we can play quality football. It was not about the score but the way they were playing. The ball was always on the ground and most of our attacks were coming from short passes.”

inquirer.net

Kuwait update

I notice that my blog getting Kuwaiti visitors now , welcome to my blog :)

Kuwait won 6-0 against Lebanon in a friendly on 2. July in Beirut . They play another friendly in Beirut against Oman on 6. July.

They face Philippines at home on 23. July.

Philippines and Kuwait have never played a official NT match.

Kuwait is ranked 101 in FIFA July Ranking

Schrock and Borromeo suspended ?

Philippine media dont seem to be sure if Schrock and Borromeo will be suspended in first match against Kuwait after yellow cards in away and home match against Sri Lanka.

YouTube : Azkals vs Sri Lanka

HISTORIC TRIUMPH

BY BONG PEDRALVEZ
Sports

LIKE a bunch of relentless pit bulls let loose, the Philippine Azkals were all bite yesterday, whipping the Sri Lankan Red Devils 4-0 for a historic World Cup triumph before a jampacked crowd at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

The victory came on the heels of the Azkals’ 1-1 draw against the same team in Colombo last Wednesday and sent them to the next round of the World Cup qualifiers for the first time since the country began competing in the event in 1950.

Counting their 1-all standoff in Colombo last Wednesday, the Filipinos won the home-and-away series with a 5-1 aggregate to set up a second-round clash with Middle East powerhouse Kuwait, a one-time Asian Cup champion, starting July 23 in Kuwait City.

National team manager Dan Palami, who whooped it up with the players and the coaching staff, said "this victory accomplished in front of our hometown fans is truly exhilarating."

Not even a 30-minute downpour that started at kick-off could dampen the intensity of the Azkals, who fed off the energy provided by some 13,000 fans who stayed despite being drenched.

Striker Phil Younghusband, ignoring a slight right hamstring injury, knocked in a goal in each half while dynamic diminutive midfielder Chieffy Caligdong and Fil-Spanish forward Angel Guirado had a goal apiece in the lopsided match.

Caligdong started the Filipino juggernaut rolling, splitting the Sri Lankan defense in the 19th minute from 25 feet during a goalmouth scramble caroming of the left goal post and into the net. He got a big hug from German coach Michael Weiss after scoring the icebreaker.

With Caligdong, Fil-German Stephan Schrock and James Younghusband dominating the midfield, Phil saw an opening in the 43rd minute from pointblank range, although the South Korean assistant referee nullified the goal contending a foul was committed on the Filipino forward before the goal was made.

But South Korean referee Kim Sang Woo overruled his compatriot and counted the marker to the delight of the hometown fans.

Guirado, who had several near-misses in the first half, joined the scoring spree when he skipped over Sri Lankan goalie Fernando Manjula in the 50th minute and blasted in a shot from 25 feet.

The Azkals, however, were far from done.

Younghusband completed the rout 15 minutes later, scoring on a picture perfect penalty kick that hit the top of the net after midfielder Stephan Schrock was taken down inside the penalty box by a Sri Lankan defender.

The 25-year-old former Chelsea club development was relieved by Ian Araneta in the 65th minute while Caligdong was replaced by Roel Gener in the 77th when the outcome was beyond doubt.

Phil was taken to a nearby hospital after suffering stomach cramps and had to be given intravenous treatment in the dugout to prevent dehydration.

Shrock may not be available for the first leg of the Kuwait series, having been slapped his second yellow card for an automatic one-game suspension. But Palami said he would make every effort to have Schrock in Kuwait "because of his commanding presence in midfield. He would be a big loss for us if he won’t be available."

Malaya.com

Azkals clobber Sri Lanka

MANILA, Philippines - Destination: Kuwait.

Playing more like the souped-up team they are billed to be, the Philippine Azkals blanked Sri Lanka, 4-nil, at the Rizal Memorial Stadium to win their first-round showdown in the 2014 Fifa World Cup Asian qualifiers via a 5-1 aggregate, making history by reaching the second round of the regional preliminaries for the prestigious event.

“Kuwait next, Kuwait next,” Azkals captain Aly Borromeo told the adoring fans who congratulated him as he made his way to the media room for the post-match press conference.

He was referring to the Middle Eastern nation, which is seeded into the second round of the Asian qualifiers. Kuwait (102nd in the Fifa ranking) will host the Azkals (159th) on July 23 with the return match set five days later at the Rizal Memorial football field.

“We made history and I think this is a start. It’s still a long way to go but I think we can do it,” said Borromeo.

In addition to qualifying for the second phase, the Azkals also pulled off that elusive first win for Philippine football in a World Cup qualifier.

And this they did in devastating fashion.

Like the heavy downpour that marked the start of the return game before 13,000 supporters at the historic Rizal Memorial Stadium, the Azkals went on a relentless attack from the get-go, making a whopping 26 attempts at the goal and consummating on four of them.

“Today, we finally opened the knot and showed the power and potential that the team has,” said Phl coach Michael Weiss. “We created many chances and deservedly took the lead. We have quality players and I am very happy they showed what they can do.”

Chieffy Caligdong scooted away from the defense to fire in the icebreaker in the 19th minute, triggering a stadium-wide celebration as Azkals goalie Neil Etheridge raced all the way to the Phl side of the field and slid into pile-up of teammates celebrating with the local star.

Fil-British Phil Younghusband, bucking a hamstring injury, did his thing on the pitch with two goals before getting relieved in the 65th due to severe cramps. Younghusband struck in the 43rd and 14 minutes later scored on a penalty kick as the Pinoys whooped it up in frenzied celebration.

The popular striker, however, was brought to the hospital to have his cramps checked immediately after the match.

Fil-Spanish Angel Guirado eluded the defense of Manjula Fernando with a strike from the right flank in between Younghusband’s two goals in the 51st minute.

“The early goal gave us confidence and allowed us to set the tempo,” said Borromeo.

“Great Win! 4-0 Thank you for my family, mum and dad coming all the way to watch me and R.I.P Grandad, that game was for you!” Etheridge posted on Twitter after the match.

But the Azkals may have to deal with the possible suspension of Borromeo and Fil-German Stephan Schrock in the first leg against the fancied Kuwait after getting slapped a second yellow card yesterday. Normally if a player gets two separate yellow cards in a tournament, they have to sit down the team’s next match.

But Weiss said they’re hopeful it won’t be applied in the Kuwait outing.

Sri Lanka’s Korean coach Jang Jung said Phl was “a much much better team” yesterday. “And they showed they have more experience than us.”


philstar

Azkals win

By MIGUEL JAIME G. ONGPIN
July 3, 2011, 6:27pm

MANILA, Philippines -- The Azkals roundly defeated Sri-Lanka 4-0 in a rain-drenched game that saw Rizal Memorial Stadium filled to just under 13,000 fans; an attendance not seen since the early 1980’s, during the reign of track phenomenon Lydia De Vega.

The Philippine Air Force’s Chieffy Caligdong struck early in the first half as he fired in the crowd that was the Sri Lankan defense. The shot bounced off the goalpost and into the Sri Lankan net.

The Philippine team dominated the entire game with crisp passing, a solid defense; and sound goalkeeping that negated almost all offensive attempts from Sri Lanka.

Standing out in the midfield was Stephan Shrock who had a superb game in delivering the ball to the offense.

Some time midway into the First Half Phil Younghusband found himself in front of the net and had the patience and presence of mind to beat his defender and flick the ball away from himself and the oncoming Sri Lankan goalkeeper, later to reconnect with the ball and slide a ground ball into the Sri Lankan goal making it 2-0.

The First Half ended with that score in a performance showing that the Azkals had finally found their rhythm and finally capitalized on their offense and passing which had badly misfired in the First Leg in Colombo.

The Second Half saw the continuation of the rugged game with Aly Borromeo and Stephan Shrock being issued Yellow Cards, both players will miss the First Leg game with Kuwait.

In the latter part of the Second Half Angel Aldeguer Guirado; much like Phil Younghusband in the first half, flicked the ball away himself and the rushing Sri Lankan keeper and followed through on a slightly bouncing ground ball to make it 3-0.

Stephan Shrock was streaking towards the Sri Lankan goal from the corner post area when he was brought down in the Penalty Area by a defender.

The referee awarded a Penalty Shot which was taken by Phil Younghusband.He calmly converted the penalty shot which flew high into the center of the net and making it 4-0.

The score may have been higher had the Azkals been able to convert on several offensive opportunities. The team was comfortable playing on home soil and a much better pitch than in Colombo. They were also cheered on by their nearly 13,000 home fans.

The Azkals will now advance to the next round of World Cup Qualifiers when they face Kuwait in 2 legs later this month.

Manila Bulletin

Today : Azkals vs Sri Lanka

Today at 3.30 pm at Rizal Memorial in Manila.

Philippines vs Sri Lanka, second leg.

First leg in Colombo 1-1

Tv : Studio 23

News before , during and after the match. Livestream ,tickets, line-ups and weather . Anything related to the match can be posted in comments

Moment of truth: Philippine booters battle Sri Lanka today

By Cedelf Tupas

MANILA—It’s a match that means the world for a Philippine football team seeking a shot at history.

The Azkals try to justify their status as the new pride and joy of Philippine sports when they face Sri Lanka in the return leg of their World Cup qualifying match today at the newly refurbished Rizal Memorial Stadium.

The 3:30 p.m. game carries a lot of significance for the country, which missed playing at the qualifying event of the 2006 and 2010 editions.

The first World Cup qualifying match in the Philippines in 10 years also gives the national team a chance to advance to the second round of the qualifying tournament for the first time.

“Considering what the national team has been through over the years, this match and playing in front of Filipinos mean so much to us,” said Chieffy Caligdong, a vital cog of the Philippine teams over the past decade.

Caligdong was one of the players who soldiered on even when support for the team was hard to come by and was there when the Azkals finally burst into the nation’s consciousness a few months ago with a historic win over powerhouse Vietnam in Hanoi.

The 1-1 draw in the first leg in Colombo Wednesday may have left several players disappointed, but it has also put the Azkals in a good position to reach the second round with the home side needing just a scoreless draw to advance.

A 1-1 tie will result in extra time and, if needed, penalties to determine the winner, while a 2-2 draw or more will send the Sri Lankans to the second round.

That’s why the Azkals find themselves in a dogfight against a Sri Lankan team that also promised an improved performance from Wednesday.

“We’re not going to sit out there and defend,” said skipper Aly Borromeo. “We’re gonna play our usual game and work hard especially in front of our home crowd.”

The South Asians held their own against the Azkals, slightly taking the shine out of the star-studded lineup, which apparently struggled with several new combinations in the squad while playing on the hard, pockmarked pitch.

Sri Lanka captain Rohana Kuwanthilake said they are ready to spoil the Azkals’ homecoming after working out yesterday. The team arrived late Friday after a 12-hour journey.

“We know that the crowd will be big tomorrow,” he said. “It doesn’t matter. We want to win the match.”

The Sri Lankans took the lead in the first half of the opening leg, but substitute Nate Burkey gave the Azkals the crucial “away” goal with his header five minutes after the break.

Surprisingly, the enormity of the task of finally hurdling the opening-round and meeting big expectations is not bothering the squad.

“They (players) will say we are pretty much looking forward to tomorrow’s (today’s) game,” Azkals coach Michael Weiss said. “There is no pressure.”

The Azkals trained at the Rizal Memorial Stadium for the first time since the game on Saturday afternoon and while several players like Angel Guirado looked gimpy, Weiss said he’ll most likely stick with the same eleven that started Wednesday.

The starting eleven included Guirado, Phil Younghusband who was substituted in the 40th minute because of pain is hamstring, goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, midfielders Stephan Schrock, Manny Ott, Caligdong and defenders Anton del Rosario, Rob Gier, Aly Borromeo and Paul Mulders, an attacking midfielder who has been deployed as leftback in the absence of Ray Jonsson.

Several things look to be going Weiss’ way, particularly with a better-conditioned pitch, which he described as “pretty amazing” and a far cry from the one in Colombo.

Sri Lanka coach Jang Jung, a South Korean, is confident that his squad can stifle the Azkals.

“We are at a disadvantage, but we are prepared,” said Jung, whose team relied on long balls and quick counter attacks to keep the Azkals on their heels in the first leg.

inquirer.net

YouTube : Sri Lanka vs Philippines

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.”

—————

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

Azkals vow to display full potential Sunday

By Cedelf Tupas

DUBAI—A crucial “away” goal wasn’t enough for the Philippine football team to head home with a measure of satisfaction from its trip to Colombo.
Favored to prevail owing to their better ranking and perceived strong lineup, the Azkals needed a second-half fightback to forge a 1-1 draw with the Sri Lankans in the opening leg of their first-round World Cup Qualifying match Wednesday night.
And though the goal gave them an edge heading into the second leg—they only need a scoreless draw to advance against Kuwait— the first-leg result certainly stung the team which was expected to roll over the South Asians, who are lodged 13 places below them in the Fifa rankings.
The mood was generally somber at the team hotel hours after the match with the Azkals feeling they missed an opportunity to come out of the tie with a convincing win.
“We know we could have done better,” said skipper Aly Borromeo.
“We’re a little disappointed with the draw,” said striker Phil Younghusband, who expressed doubts over his availability in the second leg on Sunday because of a hamstring problem that forced him to leave the match in the 40th minute.
“I didn’t think we showed our potential and what we had to do to win.”
Said Azkals coach Michael Weiss: “We should have finished the game in the first half. I will only be happy if we win on Sunday.”
The hard, pockmarked, unlevel pitch that led to awkward bounces was partly blamed, but left winger Chieffy Caligdong offered a different, more alarming reason.
‘We were overconfident’
“We were overconfident,” admitted Caligdong, the only homegrown player who was part of the starting eleven, during
the team’s brief stopover in Dubai. “We were relaxed. That’s always the case if we play what we think is a weak team, we also play weak.”
The general feeling in the team was that the poor condition of the pitch took away the midfield passing game that the Azkals extensively worked on in their training camp in Germany.
Save for the bursts of energy from the debuting Stephan Schrock, who easily skipped past defenders at midfield, the match was reduced to an exchange of long balls, which the Azkals found difficult to cope with.
“When they (Sri Lankans) were throwing long balls, the defense line was a little iffy,” said Borromeo.
Schrock said he could have “played better with a better pitch. My performance was just 70 percent of what I can do.”
The Azkals, who fell behind on Pordi Chathura’s 43rd-minute free kick, proved more menacing in the second half, and the pressure paid off with Nate Burkey’s equalizer in the 50th minute.
The Azkals are finding solace in the thought that they will play before a packed Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila on Sunday.
And many expect them not to sit back and defend the away-goal advantage.
“One-all is always a good result because we got an away goal,” said goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, who made a couple of brilliant saves, including a strong shot from Nimal in stoppage time.
“We will be looking forward to the Sunday game to win. We have to give the fans who have been supporting us what they want.”
Azkals manager Dan Palami also expects an improved performance in the second leg.
“I’m confident that the guys will be able to play the way we should play considering the crowd and the better pitch,” said Palami. “We will go for the win.”

inquirer.net

Team list Philippines

Team against Sri Lanka on 29. June :

Starting Eleven

1. Neil Etheridge
2. Rober Gier
4. Anton Del Rosario
7. James Younghusband
8. Manuell Ott
9. Paul Mulders
10. Phil Younghusband
11. Alexander Borromeo (capt.)
12. Angel Guirado
13. Emelio Caligdong
17. Stephan Schrock


Subs :

3. Jason Sabio
6. Roel Gener
14.Misagh Bahadoran
15. Ricardo Becite
16. Ray Jonsson (did not go to Sri Lanka)
18. Nate Burkey (in for Phil Y in 40th min , out in 76. min)
19. Nestorio Margarse
20. Christopher Camcam
21. John Patrick Hinrichsen
22. Eduard Sacopano
23. Ian Aranata (in for Nate Burkey in 76.min)

fifa.com

AFC

World Cup Qualifiers: Philippine Azkals salvage draw versus Sri Lanka

COLOMBO—A resilient Philippine side fought back to salvage a 1-1 stalemate against Sri Lanka Wednesday in the first leg of their opening round World Cup qualifying match at the Sugathadasa Stadium here.

Substitute Nate Burkey, making his debut for the Philippines, headed home James Younghusband’s saved header in the 50th minute to give the Azkals a precious away goal heading to the second leg in Manila on Sunday.

An away goal will only count if a two-leg series ends up tied on aggregate, meaning a scoreless draw will be enough for the Azkals to go through to the next round against Kuwait.

Playing their first World Cup qualifying match in 10 years, the Azkals fell behind on the 43rd minute when Pordi Chathura’s 20-yard free kick beat a diving Neil Etheridge to his right.

It was an eerie reminder of the late equalizing goal that the Azkals yielded to Myanmar in the AFC Challenge Cup in March.

After a quiet opening half, the Azkals, egged on by about 200 Filipino supporters in the stadium, came alive in the last 45 minutes, keeping the Sri Lankans on their heels.

Stephan Schrock, making his Philippine debut, was an influential figure at central midfield and his passing constantly opened up the Sri Lankan defense.

But except for Burkey’s goal, the Azkals lacked the clinical finishing touch to punish the Sri Lankans, who refused to back down, making the match a rugged affair.

One such incident came in the 18th minute when Phil Younghusband was fouled by midfield enforcer Fazlur, triggering a scuffle in the middle of the field.

James Younghusband and got yellow cards in the aftermath of the incident. The Azkals had two other yellow cards – Schrock and skipper Aly Borromeo – who were booked for mistimed challenges.

Phil Younghusband had two glorious early chances saved by Manjula Fernando in the first half, before the Filipino-British striker was substituted by Burkey in the 40th minute for what looked like a hamstring injury.

Putting more pressure on the Sri Lankans immediately after the restart, the Azkals were rewarded with Burkey’s scrappy goal.

Chieffy Caligdong, the only homegrown player in the starting lineup, floated a long free kick into the area that was met by James Younghusband, whose header looked to have crossed the line.

Amid the confusion, Burkey was quickest to react and he banged it home for the equalizer.

Schrock, a standout rightback playing for Greuther Furth in the German second division, was still proving dangerous with the ball and his effort from just outside the box just went wide in the 60th minute.

Another chip pass from Schrock offered substitute Ian Araneta with a late scoring chance, but the Air Force striker managed a weak effort that was easily saved by Manjula.

Just when everyone thought the Sri Lankans were playing for a draw, the hosts managed to conjure one more chance when Nimal fired a bristling shot that draw an impressive reflex save from Etheridge in the first minute of injury time.

The Azkals arrive in Manila Thursday night, leaving them with two full days to prepare for the rematch against the South Asians.

inquirer.net

More tenacious Azkals battle Sri Lankans today

By Cedelf Tupas

COLOMBO—Skipper Aly Borromeo watched the World Cup final pitting Spain and the Netherlands at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg last year and wondered if he would ever play a single match in the sport’s biggest stage, let alone get a shot at making it there.

Borromeo and his fellow Philippine Azkals finally get that precious crack at the tournament starting Wednesday here when they battle Sri Lanka in the first round of the 2014 Fifa World Cup Qualifiers at the Sugathadasa Stadium in this port city in the Indian Ocean.

“Every football player dreams of playing in the World Cup,” said Borromeo, a veteran of the national side since 2004.

“And ever since I’ve played for the national team, that’s always made me sad because we haven’t sent a delegation even to the qualifiers. We know its a long shot but at least we’ve taken a step closer.”

Kickoff is at 4 p.m. DST (6:30 p.m. in Manila) with the Azkals looking to grab the advantage against an unfancied Sri Lankan side, before the series shifts to Manila on Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Although the Azkals have been tipped as favorites to prevail, German coach Michael Weiss said the Sri Lankans cannot be underestimated.

Add that to the fact that the Sri Lankans have played considerably well at home.

“It will not be easy,” said Weiss, who took the squad’s reins early this year. “They have been training for three months and have been playing together for years. No one should think that this will be just a passers-by match. In today’s football, no one should be underestimated.”

Just how tough are the Sri Lankans at home? Weiss pointed out the fact that Kuwait, the Middle East powerhouse that awaits the winner of this tie, managed just a scrambling 1-nil win here a few years ago.

“We are not yet on that level where we can clearly dominate,” Weiss said.

Team manager Dan Palami, who had earlier talked up the Azkals’ chances, said they are approaching the match with “cautious optimism.”

“We don’t know what the conditions will be [today],” said Palami. “Sri Lanka is going to defend their turf the best way they can. We will try to overwhelm them in the first 10 minutes.”

Jang Jung, Sri Lanka’s Korean coach, opted to downplay his team’s chances.

“Our preparation is not enough,” said Jung. “We don’t know the Philippines but it’s going to be a close match.”

The Azkals started their buildup for the match in Manila two months ago and wrapped it up with a high-intensity two-week camp in Germany that gave Weiss a glimpse of the immense attacking potential of the squad as well as its defensive frailties.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, opted to stay in Colombo for its preparations.

Just as the team had feared, Ray Jonsson failed to make the trip here yesterday because of his commitment with his Icelandic club, Grinvadik.

Weiss is expected to tap Paul Mulders, an attacking midfielder, to take Jonsson’s place at leftback in the starting eleven, which will include Borromeo, goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, defenders Anton del Rosario and Rob Gier, midfielders Chieffy Caligdong, James Younghusband, Manny Ott and Stephan Schrock and forwards Angel Guirado and Phil Younghusband.


inquirer.net

Studio 23 to beam World Cup qualifying match ‘live’

MANILA—ABS-CBN Sports, the official coveror of the Azkals’ international matches, will air the first leg of the Philippines’ home-and-away showdown with Sri Lanka “live” on Studio 23 starting at 5:30 p.m.

Studio 23 will also telecast the country’s “home” World Cup qualifying match at the newly refurbished Rizal Memorial Stadium this Sunday starting at 2 p.m., with a replay on Tuesday at 4 p.m.