Azkals Need to Sharpen Their Cutting Edge

First of all, my appreciation for Mr Jojo Malig of ABS-CBN News Bureau for the valuable link to a video live stream of the Philippine-Indonesia friendly match. Since moving to Lisbon, Portugal two and a half months ago, we have to start relying on the internet to be able to watch live Philippine football matches.

As for the match, there are no "ifs" and "buts" about it, Indonesia deserved their 2-0 victory against the Philippine Azkals. At first I was tempted to think that it was the quality of the video stream as our players seemed a bit sluggish, but it was very clear that the Indonesian players were quicker and livelier. They played more cohesively as well.

It was typical again of our team, a game of two halves. A slow start and a more improved performance in the second half. Still, even if fortune were on our side the most we could hopefully get would have been a draw basing on the quality of our game that evening. The Azkals had difficulty creating scoring chances while the Indonesians wasted a number of theirs. It was a fair result.

Anyway, this was a friendly match and the result isn't as important as the lessons and insights to be gained from the match. Let's keep that perspective and context in mind whenever we look back at this defeat. Of course not everyone will see it that way, but I am fairly hopeful that a growing number of Filipino football fans are developing a better appreciation of the sport in the sense that this defeat won't be seen as a sign that the sky is falling.

So what do we get out of this match? As I mentioned at the start of the article, our players seemed sluggish, especially in the first half. The Indonesians definitely looked more sharp and energetic. With the exception of a few such as Porteria, our players seemed out of sorts.

The number of misplaced passes by our team and the manner by which the Indonesians took control of the match shows that our cutting edge has dulled quite a bit. While the long ball has been an arsenal of our team, there was just one too many in this match and they looked more like wild clearances than deliberate attempts to get behind the Indonesian defensive line. Hardly any good and clear chances were created in the final third of the opposition half, especially in the first half where the lineup was filled by our seasoned veterans.  I think former Azkals coach Simon McMenemy best described our team's performance: "disjointed." It certainly looked that way.

Sure, it will be argued that if we had all our top players available such as Schrock, Patiño, Cagara, Juani Guirado, Jonsson and De Jong to name a few, the outcome might have been different. That is of course very possible, IF they were available. However, they weren't available and that is the reality of the game. Whether through injury, club commitment or any other reason, national teams always have to be prepared for the situation that not all key players will be available. This cannot be an excuse. Those running the team and Philippine football authorities should do all they can to ensure that there are enough quality, fit and in-form players available for call-up whenever there is a match. 

It's not as if there wasn't quality and experience in the team that lost to Indonesia. The starting eleven were seasoned veterans and regular fixtures in the team. While the decision of Coach Weiss to play some players out of position may have been a factor for the first goal against us, the adjustment made in the second half was more positive. 

Is this perhaps a question of fitness and form then? I think it was a significant factor in that match. The UFL where most of the players in the team for this match ply their trade ended its season several weeks ago while the Indonesian football league is still going on. While there may have been a few matches and training sessions here and there after the UFL season for our players, the Indonesian national team had several matches both official and friendly since the start of the year. A number of those were against top European clubs on their preseason training phase. It was apparent from this match that the Indonesians were more fit and in better playing form than our players.

Photo via Philippine Star

Considering that the Philippines will be competing in the AFC Challenge Cup and the next edition of the Suzuki Cup next year, our team and football officials should better start thinking of how to keep our players sharp and in top playing form by the start of those competitions. While the UFL has been doing a great job in providing our local based players with competitive match experience, the league is still small and there are not that many matches a season, even if we include the cup competitions. The entry of UFL clubs in the Singapore Cup and the AFC President's Cup is a good development. It will provide competitive matches for some of the players plus valuable experience against good clubs in the region. However, much more is needed to sharpen our team's cutting edge, especially for our local based players.

A quick look on Wikipedia on the list of fixtures of our national team provides a very significant insight. From January to August 15 of 2013, the Azkals have played only 5 matches so far, both competitive and friendlies. Now take a look at the competitive and friendly fixtures for the same period for 2011 and 2012, it is 17 and 15 matches respectively. In 2013, the Azkals have only played a third of the matches they played in a similar period in the past 2 years. Not only that, the team played against some pretty tough teams as well in 2011-2012. 

I think that data is quite revealing and team officials and the PFF better take note of that fact. It is good to hear that future friendlies are being arranged and the 2nd Peace Cup will be held. I also hope that rumors of an overseas training camp become reality. 

The Azkals need to regain the sharpness in their cutting edge. Sure, it may be possible in football to bludgeon your way to victory, but more often than not, precision is a more reliable approach to attaining success on the pitch. I do hope the team officials and the PFF take every opportunity to arrange matches for the Philippines. Time to get those Azkals' fangs and claws razor sharp once more.

15 August 2013, Moira G Gallaga©

Ceres FC Barges into Finals of 2nd PFF-Smart National Club Championship

What do you do when 3 giants are standing in your way? Get in a bus and just drive through them to get where you're going. That's what Negros based Ceres FC basically did on its way to the finals of the 2nd PFF-Smart Men's National Club Championship where they will face UFL Division 1 club Pasargad FC or PSG.

The 3 giants Ceres needed to get through to earn a finals slot are among the 3 top UFL Division 1 Clubs: current UFL Cup champions Stallion FC, current UFL champions Global FC and powerhouse Kaya FC. A feat that caused the Ceres FC squad's achievements to be dubbed as a "Cinderella" run to the finals. One reason perhaps this glorious run to the finals of the club is being described as such is the fact that Ceres FC is not a club that competes in either Divisions of the Metro Manila based United Football League, now considered the country's premiere football league. But is it really?

True, beating the top 3 UFL clubs enroute to the finals is no mean and easy feat. Then again, let's consider a few facts. Ceres FC is based in Negros Occidental, a hotbed of football in this country. Before the advent of the 2010 Azkals and the renaissance of football in the Philippines, Negros and Iloilo have kept faith all these years. The rivalry of these 2 provinces will attest to the fact on how seriously the sport is considered. One only has to look at how many accomplished football players come from these 2 provinces. It shouldn't be surprising then that a team from Negros should be able to field a strong and competitive squad.

One only needs to look at Stallions FC, considered to be the "Iloilo" team given the roots of the club. Its maiden run in UFL Division 1 showed it was a force to be reckoned with. A strong showing in the regular UFL season was followed up by winning the UFL Cup.

Ceres FC is no different. They may not be competing in the UFL, but they are based in a province where there is an environment that provides competitive football and a deep talent pool to recruit from. More than that, Ceres FC is run in much similar ways as the top clubs in the country today. It isn't just a team put together for the purpose of this tournament; it is a club with a vision,infrastructure and adequate management support.

Photo via watchmendaily.com

Credit for that goes to the Yanson brothers, Leo Rey and Ricky. Both former players and passionate fans of the sport of football. Like Dan Palami, they have tapped their personal fortune in the transport business (hence the bus metaphor in the opening paragraph) to grow and develop the sport of football in Negros. They are the driving force behind NFL, the Negros Football League and they even went as far as having football fields constructed. Players and coaching staff for the club and their NFL teams are well taken care of and supported. Lest it be forgotten, the U-23 squad of Ceres FC is also the defending champion of the PFF-Suzuki U-23 National Club Championship.

Considering all those factors, I don't think Ceres FC's giant-killing run to the finals is all that surprising. They have shown without doubt that they have what it takes to play with the big boys. They are a force to be reckoned with and they just made an emphatic statement to that effect, not only for the club but for Negros football.

It still remains to be seen if Ceres FC will join the UFL. As seen in the results of this tournament so far, they will be a good addition to the league. They have a talented and quite young squad, with a very capable coaching staff. More than that, it will give us Negrenses a team to root for in the UFL. Something the marketing people of UFL should consider. Of course, it will all depend on the Yanson brothers. In the same way they built up their club, I'm sure they will be taking deliberate and measured steps when considering this option. One thing for sure, when the time comes that Ceres FC does indeed join the UFL, they will be ready and raring to succeed. 

28 January 2013, Moira G Gallaga©

Another 90 Minutes More (Philippines v Singapore - 2012 Suzuki Cup Semis)

After a pretty good group stage performance against tough opponents, the Philippine Men's National Football Team a.k.a. The Azkals have once again made it to the semi-final round of the AFF Suzuki Cup, Southeast Asia's most prestigious football tournament. For the 3rd time this year the Azkals face Singapore, though this time in a competitive 2-legged fixture with a lot at stake - a place in the finals.

This semi-final first leg was also billed as the "home match that never was" in reference to the missed opportunity of our country to host our national team for the home leg of our semi-final fixtures against Indonesia in 2010. Well, our boys finally made it happen and created this opportunity to play in front of the supporters and the fans. Rizal was nearly packed and everyone at the stadium was eager to relish this opportunity to support our boys on this momentous occasion in Philippine football.

The match ended in a scoreless draw after a forgettable first half where the Philippines were clearly outplayed by Singapore and they couldn't get any semblance of an offense going. As it was in the group stages, our defense has been the most positive aspect of this Suzuki Cup campaign so far. There were a few nervy moments but over-all our defense held firm and as it was in the group stage, goalkeeper Ed Sacapano proved pretty steady between those goalposts. It was a much better performance by the Azkals in the second half, exhibiting improved cohesion and fluidity in their offensive game. It wasn't enough to get a goal and they had better step it up in the second leg if they wish to go further in this tournament. On a positive note, the Azkals managed another clean sheet, their third in this tournament. More importantly, this means that the Philippines had denied Singapore an away goal.

Of course, a win and a definite advantage heading into the second leg would have been the ideal result, considering the team was playing in front of its home fans. That would have been an ideal result and a good gift to the supporters considering how long Philippine fans and supporters have been waiting for a moment like this, given the significance of the fixture. Then again, Singapore is no push over. They have experience, are 3 time champions of this tournament and have been in this situation before. So if a win wasn't possible, a scoreless draw is the next desirable result.

This is the beauty of 2-legged home and away fixtures with the away goals rule in effect. It creates various scenarios and raises many factors, making for some very interesting matches. The result of the first match will most likely influence the tactics, strategy and approach to the second match and it's quite fascinating to see how coaches, players and teams deal with the situation.

At the end of the match both coaches seem pleased with the result. Singapore is looking forward to playing at home, confident that with the support of their fans they will be able to beat the Azkals and advance to the finals. While the Philippines may be playing on "hostile" ground in the second leg, we only need a scoring draw to advance due to the away goals rule, which Singapore failed to secure in the first leg. As things stand, the Philippines is still very much in it.

In this type of fixture, the 2nd leg at home is usually favored by a team which is why those who topped the group stage get to play the second leg at home. However, it could get difficult and a team could find itself under greater pressure if things don't go as planned. All it will take is an early goal for the Philippines and Singapore will suddenly find itself under pressure to score 2 goals to stay in the competition. As 3 times winners, Singapore has the added factor of dealing with the expectations of their supporters. Also, even if Singapore gets to score first, they cannot take it easy. An equalizer from our team and they are headed for the exit once more.

Singapore will need to go out for the win. This will enable the Philippines to be patient, to stay compact in defense and try to take advantage on the counter. Singapore will be obliged to push up and attack, and what I am starting to envision in my mind is that second goal in the Myanmar match by Angel Guirado. Score first and preferably score early and things should look good for the Philippines. Of course, in order to do this they need to play with more energy and precision than they did on Saturday night. Then again, I'm sure they know that by now.

Singapore will be relying on their experience (coach, players) in this competition, their quality, better cohesion and the support of the home crowd. It is a daunting challenge for the Azkals to face. Then again, the Azkals merely need a scoring draw to advance to the finals. They could use this to their advantage. Furthermore, the Azkals are a mere 90 minutes away from achieving another milestone not only in their respective careers, but for Philippine football as well. As Dan Palami so eloquently put it, "the Philippines intend to write its own history." The opportunity for both the veterans and young guns in our team to write themselves into the history books once more and build a legacy will be a strong source of motivation that should help them overcome the challenges they will face this coming Wednesday. 

This Suzuki Cup campaign has shown that the Philippines is a second half team. It takes a while for the Azkals to get going, to get their bearings and start stamping their mark in the match. In the friendly against Singapore in Cebu and in the 3 group stage matches, the Azkals scored all their goals in the second half. The quality of their play improves as the match progresses in the second half. A 2- legged fixture is basically a match of 2 halves and the second 90 minutes kicks off on Wednesday. So come on Philippines, let's go Azkals, you are 90 minutes away from achieving further glory - WE BELIEVE!

10 December 2012, Moira G Gallaga©

Azkals are back in the Suzuki Cup 2012 Semifinals

It is said that "lightning never strikes twice," and I agree. In 2010, the Philippine Men's National Football Team, a.k.a. the Azkals, shocked Southeast Asian football by reaching the semifinals of that year's AFF Suzuki Cup. In that impressive campaign, the Azkals drew with powerhouse Singapore and defeated defending champion Vietnam 2-0 to forge a semifinal showdown with Indonesia. Considering the status then of the Philippines as the perennial whipping boy in Southeast Asian football, that achievement was a like a bolt of lightning. It also served as that all-important spark that has brought about a football renaissance in the Philippines.

In this 2012 edition of the AFF Suzuki Cup the Azkals have once again successfully hurdled the group stage and booked themselves a place in the semifinals. However, unlike in 2010, this wasn't any longer like a bolt of lightning. It wasn't a shocking development anymore. In fact, the team had set their sights on the semis as a reasonable target for their Suzuki Cup campaign. Not only the team, but their opponents as well felt that the Azkals had what it takes to make the semifinals. That's because in between the last and current Suzuki Cup a lot has changed in Philippine football for the better.

Following an aggressive effort to step up the quality and effectiveness of the Philippine National Football Team and football in the Philippines in general, the Azkals have achieved several notable milestones. It's quite a list of achievements, and as a result, the Azkals have garnered considerable respect and esteem from their opponents. We now have a deeper bench and our team is slowly starting to play at a higher technical level as opposed to just simply defending with their lives and hoping for an opportunity on the counter. So for the Philippines to reach the semifinals of the Suzuki Cup twice in a row is no longer surprising, it was well deserved.

Photo via interaksyon.com

Finding themselves in a "group of death," the Azkals' campaign started off with a 2-1 loss to Thailand. In a highly physical match, the Thais did all they could legally and illegally to grab 3 points against our team. They weren't taking any chances with the Azkals. Despite the shenanigans, the Thais deserved their win. They were the better team that night and they showed to one and all that they were favorites to reach the final by winning all their group stages to top the group. The battered Azkals could take heart from the fact that they kept the match close with the toughest opponent in the group and that the chance to progress was still there.

In this group stage, the second match is the most crucial. The result of your second match will have a major bearing on your team's ability to proceed to the next round. For the Philippines, a loss in their second match means the end of our Suzuki Cup campaign. We needed to beat Vietnam. Since they drew with Myanmar in their opening match, Vietnam needed a win as well to ensure their path to the semifinals. Both teams could not afford to lose and it clearly showed in the first half. Tentative and cautious, both sides several mistakes in possession. You would think the two teams were trying to outdo each other in number of bad passes made. In the second half, Vietnam started to settle into a rhythm and began asserting control. Philippines respond by making a few substitutions. With time slowly running out, the first team to score a goal was going to win that match. That goal comes in the 85th minute for the Philippines and it couldn't have been scripted any better. Following a poor performance in the match against Thailand, Azkal veteran Chieffy Caligdong comes in as a late substitute and scores the winning goal off a lovely pass from another substitute, Angel Guirado. Two minutes later, Vietnam almost equalizes but was denied by goalkeeper Ed Sacapano whose timely block sends the ball crashing to the crossbar and away from goal. Three points for the Philippines.

With their fate firmly in their hands, the Azkals just needed to deal with Myanmar for their last fixture in this group stages. While Myanmar may have been considered the weakest among the Azkals' opponents in this group, they were a dangerous team quite capable of causing an upset. Furthermore, the Philippines had yet to beat Myanmar based on their recent competitive encounters, the last ending in a draw. As the match progressed, the Philippines showed a lot of heart and a clear intent to win this one. Phil Younghusband in particular was on a mission to make amends for tepid performances in the first 2 matches and has several attempts at goal in the first half. The defense held firm and any Myanmar offensive forays were dealt with effectively. A little over a minute into the second half Phil Younghusband scores a wonderful goal to put the Philippines ahead and place one foot into the semifinals. Myanmar started to push forward and attack more aggressively as their hopes to reach the semis were fading away by the minute. This left space behind Myanmar's defensive line and on the 93rd minute, Angel Guirado takes advantage. Running onto a clearance from Carli De Murga, Angel gets to the ball, controls it, keeps a defender at bay and coolly finishes sealing the victory.

In addition to making it to the semifinals, the group stage campaign showed that we have a solid defense. While a lot of improvement had been achieved by our team in terms of quality of play, our opponents are still a few notches above us so our defense plays a very crucial role with regard to our chances of going further in this tournament. It is also heartening to note that Ed Sacapano has been dependable in goal for the Azkals. There was quite a bit of apprehension when news started filtering in before the tournament that our Europe based keepers could not make it. Ed Sacapano showed everyone there was nothing to worry about. Chieffy Caligdong showed once again during the Vietnam match why he still continues to be part of the team. His time on the pitch may now be slowly diminishing but his value to the team remains high. Following a slow start, Phil Younghusband appears to be peaking at the right time. Not his usual effective self in the matches against Thailand and Vietnam, he's found his confidence and form once again in the Myanmar match and this is good for the Azkals. A deep bench, a combination of seasoned veterans with valuable experience and young guns with hunger and desire, the Azkals has deservedly earned a spot in the semifinals where they will face Singapore. 

The team has set the semifinals as their goal, they have achieved that now. For sure, they are now busy working hard to go beyond that goal and the prospects look good. There is no room for complacency though. While we may have beaten Singapore twice just recently, friendly and competitive fixtures are two different matters altogether. Also, this is a two-legged affair so the approach and mentality is a lot different than a single winner take all match. Just the same, I would fancy our chances. We've gone this far, why not go even further? Let's go Azkals! WE BELIEVE!!!

02 December 2012, Moira G Gallaga©

The "Right" Decision (Philippine AZKALS beats Singapore...Again)

During his man of the match interview after the Philippines beat Singapore 1-0 in Cebu, goalkeeper Ed Sacapano was asked on his thoughts about the 1st half injury time penalty given to Singapore. Sacapano more or less said that he would go to the right on this one. It turned out to be the right decision as Sacapano saved that penalty to keep the match level at the end of the first half.

For me, that injury time penalty save by Sacapano was a turning point for the match given the context of that penalty decision. The referee botched the penalty call, Christaens didn't commit a foul and it was the Singaporean who slammed into Christaens as he lost his footing. If Singapore scored that penalty it would have been unfair. So what if they were playing very well and dominating the match in that first half. Our team did a good job as well in keeping them at bay, playing solid and compact defense. Philippines didn't deserve to go one goal down at the dying minutes of the first half due to a bad call by the referee. Considering Singapore's dominant play, giving up a late goal at the end of the half would have had quite a demoralizing effect on the team as they would head into the second half chasing the game. Good thing Sacapano stepped up and kept our team in the fight, definitely a man of the match moment. That save could have been that all important boost to the team's confidence and spirit that gave them the feeling that, yes, this is going to be our night.

Sacapano's penalty save was crucial in terms of its potential impact to both sets of players at a mental, psychological and emotional level. Keeping the scores level at halftime was important. Sacapano chose to go to the right and the second half of the match was a much different affair than the first.

In football, there are 2 big words often used when it comes to players: form and confidence. You can more or less track form using statistics and keenly observing match-day performances over a period of time. I hear big-time clubs in Europe even have computer programs for this purpose. Confidence is a whole lot trickier; it is mainly psychological, mental and emotional. It's in the player's head and not so easy to get inside of, but its value is never underestimated as confidence can spell a major difference on the field of play. 

The match showed these 2 factors at work. The effect was evident as the second half started to get underway. When the Philippines went ahead, it was no longer in doubt that victory was highly possible. If the Philippines was oozing in confidence by the second half, that's because our guy at goal had it in abundance. When Sacapano saved that penalty, he probably felt that that ball was not going to get past him that evening. His 2 other equally impressive diving saves from free kicks later in the match validates that assumption. 

It’s quite timely too that Sacapano exhibited tremendous form and confidence in this match. As we all know, this friendly against Singapore is the final tune up match of the Philippines before it heads off for its 2012 AFF Suzuki Cup campaign starting 27 November. There's high hopes for this team to replicate its 2010 Suzuki Cup achievement of reaching the semifinals. The possibility also exists that this team could go all the way. But before all of that, we face some very tough opponents in the group stage. That is why the absence of our Europe based players has raised a little bit of concern. Their presence provides added quality and high level match experience to the team.

Among the absences, most notable will be our goalkeepers. Since the Suzuki Cup is not on the FIFA calendar, clubs are not obliged to release players for international duty and both Neil Etheridge and Roland Muller have club commitments during that period. There is no confirmation yet if they will be able to make it to the tournament or even just be able to play in a match or two. 

Photo via philnews.ph

This situation leaves us with our third choice goalkeeper, Ed Sacapano. Looking back at his performance against Singapore and the Peace Cup, he just needs to keep up that sort of form and confidence throughout the Suzuki Cup campaign and we should be relishing our chances. Of course, his team mates have to step up as well, though the team's performances over the series of matches organized to prepare the team for the Suzuki Cup shows that our neighbors don’t take us too lightly. 
It’s also good to see we now have a deeper bench as well with a large number of quality players now locally based. Before, Coach Weiss had limited options for substitutions. Before it appeared that substitutions were made mainly to put in fresh legs and to just hang in there, and even then he rarely made these changes. Now he can make a number of changes without sacrificing quality and even create a decisive impact on the match. For a tournament like the Suzuki Cup that involves a group stage playing 3 matches with only 2 days rest in between, a deep bench is crucial as injuries, match suspension and fatigue are a constant concern. 

This friendly victory over Singapore is a good setting from which to kick off our Men's National Football Team's Suzuki Cup campaign. A well fought victory over a tough opponent, a number of players brimming with confidence and in good form, and a deeper bench should provide our team a decent chance at a good showing.

Make no mistake, this will not be easy. We are in a tough group. While our team has made tremendous strides and very notable improvement in the past 2 years, our neighbors haven't been standing still either. Remember, this is football and anything can happen.

For now, let's just sit back for now to enjoy and savor the victory against Singapore that was brought about in no small measure by Sacapano's right decision to go right on that penalty kick. By the week after next we'll be back in front of our televisions again, nervously and excitedly watching and hoping that our players, our Coach and the referees are making the right decisions.

16 November 2012, Moira G Gallaga©

AZKALS ASEAN Tour

As part for the preparations of the upcoming AFF 2012 Suzuki Cup tournament, the Philippine Men’s National Football Team also known as the Azkals engaged in a series of friendlies away from home against Cambodia, Singapore and Laos from 5-10 September 2012.

A scoreless draw against Cambodia, a historic win 0-2 wins against Singapore and a 2-1 loss to Laos. Notwithstanding the fantastic win versus Singapore, I’d hate to say that this was a disappointing campaign. I don’t think I’m the only one around saying we should have done better. True, these are essentially practice matches in preparation for the main objective (Suzuki Cup) and a whole lot of lessons were probably learned, but the team could have definitely done a whole lot better. I’m sure the coaching staff and the players know and feel that way as well.

It is interesting to note that the Azkals’ victory was in the match where they were the acknowledged underdogs, and they played really well in that match. Special mention goes to Stephan Schroeck who was a cut above everyone else. Yet in the matches where they were favored to win, they drew one and lost the other. While the Cambodia match was disappointing, it wasn’t that bad compared to the Laos match as the Azkals were very much in control of the match. It was a matter of lousy finishing and missed chances. Against Laos, they let the gamesmanship and bad calls get to them in addition to failing to take control of the match and dominate. Despite the dodgy stuff, the Laotians played fairly well and made things difficult for the Azkals in contrast to the Cambodians.

Photo via interaksyon.com

As there is no point in crying over spilled milk, we might as well dwell on the lessons and points this series of friendlies have highlighted. There’s a number of them, and whether you may agree with me or not, here’s what I think:

·         The Younghusband and Guirado brothers continue to be important members of the national team. Given their contribution at the recent AFC Challenge Cup, one wonders how these friendlies would have turned out if the Guirado brothers were available to play. The absence of the Younghusband brothers in the Laos match and their contribution in the Singapore victory clearly points out how valuable they are to the team.

·      Denis Wolf and Patrick Reichelt provide added depth to the team’s offensive options. This is good to have, especially in tournaments where a series of matches are played within a few days. Depth of the squad and ability to bring in fresh players without sacrificing the quality on the pitch are among the keys to success. However, they need to work on their finishing. The team needs to be more efficient in front of goal.

·         Stephan Shroeck is a game changer, top class and excellent quality. Problem is, will he be available during the Suzuki Cup?

·    Chieffy is slowly finding form and hopefully the big number of matches lined up before the Suzuki Cup should help him be at his best when the tournament starts.

·         Our defense is shallow and aging. Juani Guirado and Dennis Cagara are needed to provide added depth to our defensive options. While Aly Borromeo is on the mend, it will take a while for him to get back to his previous imperious form. I have my doubts if he will be fully ready when the Suzuki Cup starts. He may be fit to play by then but probably won’t be 100% in terms of the quality we expect from him.

·         Converting Jeffrey Christaens into a left back appears to be promising. However, this is for the long term as more time and experience will be needed for Christaens to grow into this new role. For the Suzuki Cup, I’d like to see Ray Jonsson and Dennis Cagara cover this spot.

·   As shown by the Laos match, the Azkals need to learn how to deal with efforts of their opponent to get into their heads. They are no longer underdogs now and weaker teams will likely try to disrupt the Azkals’ game and cause them to lose their composure in the match to even things up a bit on the pitch.

I’m sure there are more points and lessons from this ASEAN Tour but the ones above are what stick out prominently for me. The upcoming Peace Cup this month will be another good opportunity for the Azkals to get ready for the Suzuki Cup. I hope they do better on that tournament than they did in their ASEAN Tour.

10 September 2012, Moira G Gallaga©

Take a Bow, Azkals

Step forward and take a bow, Azkals. Well deserved and congratulations to everyone in the team for achieving another historic milestone and for providing a great boost to Philippine football. No need to belabor the point of the tough road the Azkals had to take to accomplish this remarkable feat and its significance for the growth of the sport in our country, a lot has already been said about that and Filipino football supporters are quite aware of what all this means.

The battle for bronze was quite a match, nerve-wracking and exhilarating. A 4-3 score line, both teams just went at it and you could see how both sides really wanted to win the match. The first goal for me was one of the best among the goals scored by the team in this campaign. Counter-attacking football at its finest, sprinkled with a bit of individual flair and brilliance by Phil Younghusband. As the Azkals continue with their improvement, it is still likely for now that against stronger teams the Azkals will find it necessary to play conservatively and try to score on the counter. That first goal exemplified the effectiveness of a rapid transition from defense to offense. From just outside our penalty box, Angel Guirado gains possession and feeds it forward to the wing to relieve the pressure and initiate an offensive move. Chieffy gets to the ball and plays it through behind the Palestine defense for Phil Younghusband to break through towards goal. It still needed a moment of magic from Phil as he eluded 3 defenders to squeeze in a shot with his weaker foot, but that’s why Phil is in the team and the deserved winner of the tournament’s Golden Boot. From a defensive situation, it just took 2 quick passes to set up a goal scoring opportunity. Simple, direct and effective, brilliant stuff!

Phil Younghusband opens the scoring for the Philippines. Photo courtesy of goalnepal.com.

Taking that lead in four minutes from such a wonderful move was pretty crucial. I think that helped settle the team and convinced them that they could win this match. This was one of those matches that shows the importance of the mental aspect involved in football. We all know that football isn’t only about skills, physical condition, tactics and strategy, the mental aspect is just as critical too. Focus, belief, confidence, discipline and most of all, heart and determination are game changers by themselves. The match against Tajikistan and Palestine shows how the Azkals have been slowly trying to put all those elements together in their preparations for this tournament. The match against Turkmenistan shows that there is still room for improvement.

Going back to the Palestine match, it was pretty exciting from start to finish. The Dubai training camp and the Malaysia friendly provided an indication that the team was going to focus on achieving and relying on a solid defense as a foundation for its playing style. The approach was going to be conservative and practical. The results of this campaign showed that this was a move in the right direction. Considering that this is still a work in progress (refer to Turkmenistan match), it does make for nervy moments as opponents try to break down our defensive lines. While the team has improved a lot over the months, they are not yet at the point where they can control a match and seal the result. Despite leading 3-1 at the start of the 2^nd half, there was no assurance yet that the match was in the bag. The Azkals had to fight and struggle to maintain their lead up to the very last minute, and the Palestinians came close to bringing the match to extra time.

I’m not complaining though, this is all part of the process. What is important is the breakthrough and the relevance of the results and the over-all direction of the efforts being made to achieve these types of results. For one, we are playing with a bit more defensive solidity and our offense managed to score 9 goals in this campaign, with 4 of them in one match. Likewise, the conservative and practical approach has been more effective. I felt that the coaching staff tailored it for the opponents the Azkals would be facing and it paid off. All in all, it has been a very productive campaign for the national team and a validation of the hard work and effort being made in the sport by all those concerned. Keep in mind that the road to this 3^rd place in Kathmandu, Nepal started way back in February 9, 2011 at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City. Bagging the bronze at the AFC Challenge Cup is proof that Philippine football and our national team is headed down the right path. So once again, step up and take a bow Azkals.

2012 Moira G Gallaga©

We All Bleed RED: Time to Get Rid of the Fil-What Nonsense

We All Bleed RED: Time to Get Rid of the Fil-What Nonsense:
2012 Moira G Gallaga©

Dear Mr. Clavio,


I'd like to share this for your enlightenment - We All Bleed RED: Time to Get Rid of the Fil-What Nonsense. Also, please don't insult our intelligence. Don't issue another crappy non-apology like the one you issued the other day, own up to what you said and stick to the main issue. That's what you call RESPONSIBILITY. It's what grown-ups do. You should try it.


This isnt just about your comments on the Azkals, it's also about all those Filipinos in similar circumstances.






'via Blog this'

Oh Dear Azkals, What Have You Done This Time? (Azkals at the AFC Challenge Cup)

Oh dear, oh dear! What have the Azkals have done this time? They really can't help themselves can they? Do they need to keep doing this? Yes. Why? Because they have to. 


So what is it they have done this time? Well, they just achieved another historic milestone for Philippine football by defeating 2006 AFC Challenge Cup champions Tajikistan 2-1 to advance for the very first time in our footballing history to the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup. Not bad, not bad at all. What's more, this isn't over yet. They actually have a fair chance of making it to the finals, and if they get there, who knows? This is football, and in this sport, anything can happen. However, let's not get ahead of ourselves, one step at a time. 


But before we delve into this highly significant development in the history and progress of Philippine football, let's provide an added sense of perspective and look back in time. We actually don't have to look back that far, we only have to go back to as recently as the AFF Suzuki Cup of 2010. The years before that, let's just say those were the dark ages. Okay, perhaps not really the dark ages as they were a few moments here and there, but for those who have been following Philippine football most of their lives, you know what I mean.  


So what has happened in the short period since December 2010 from which the renaissance of Philippine football is reckoned? Frankly, quite a lot. Beginning with that first time entry into the semi-finals of the Suzuki Cup that involved defeating the defending champions Vietnam and holding ASEAN powerhouse Singapore to a draw. Even the 1-0 losses to Indonesia in the two-legged semis was a very credible result and a marked improvement as our country proved to be no longer the region's whipping boy in the sport.


This was followed by successfully qualifying for the AFC Challenge Cup. We played in the first edition of this tournament in 2006 but there was no qualifying stage. We immediately were in the group stage where we failed to progress due to goal differential against Tajikistan (Revenge is sweet). The following tournaments in 2008 and 2010 we failed to qualify when qualifying stages were eventually introduced. For this current tournament, we had to hurdle Mongolia in a two-legged knockout match. Up next was a qualifying stage in Myanmar where we faced the hosts, Bangladesh and Palestine in a group format with the top two going through to play in Nepal. The Azkals squeezed through that one with 2 draws and a win. 


In between, the Azkals also managed to reach (again for the very first time in our football history) the second round of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, eventually bowing out to a highly skilled and strong Kuwaiti team. 


Now, the Azkals have gone out and added a much bigger feather to their cap by reaching the semis of a major regional tournament. Finding themselves in the group of death along with 3 previous champions of this tournament and having to deal with a looming investigation and likely sanction for charges of sexual harassment on some of its players when they get home, the challenges were quite formidable indeed for our National Football Team. 


However, as is their habit, the Azkals find it within themselves to rise to the occasion and give their all for flag and country, not to mention for all their supporters who have shown faith and belief in them all through this time. A loss in the opening match, a convincing win to keep their chances alive and a winner take all match which they win by scoring two goals in the second half after going a goal down at the very end of the first half - a compelling storyline if there ever was one, couldn't have been scripted any better for such a momentous and historic achievement. 


They have come a long way in such a short time. They have worked hard, played with great commitment and heart, and hurdled considerable challenges along the way. They truly deserve this accomplishment and should not be denied the corresponding glory. Yet, this isn't all. It isn't over yet. On Friday, they have yet another opportunity to go one step further, another shot at making dreams come true for the Philippine football community and its fans and supporters.  


Turkmenistan stands in their way next and typical for the Azkals, it is always never an easy road for them. Key players Angel Guirado (Man of the match against Tajikistan) and James Younghusband will be suspended for the semi-final match. However, the back line is still intact and so is the central midfield  pairing of Mulders and Juani Guirado which gives the team some defensive stability. It is a matter of stepping up on the offense to compensate for the absence of Angel and James. 


What will be going for the Azkals is confidence and momentum. If they can relieve themselves of the pressure of expectation and continue with the progress they have been making they have a decent shot. They have already achieved their goal to reach the semis. This is farther than we've ever gone before in football, any further progress is icing on the cake. So relax Azkals, enjoy the moment and play your hearts out, and who knows what will happen next. 


So what have the Azkals done this time again? Well, aside from making history once more and bringing football back to life in the Philippines, they have made us proud as a country and a people. If you can't appreciate that fact, then I feel sorry for you. More than that, they have also gained us some measure of respect. 

Photo via GoalNepal.com

It's only football others will say, well that's my point, because it is football it matters. It is a sport that matters to literally hundred of millions of people in every corner of the world. The World Cup is bigger than the Olympics, football matches elicit passion in levels way above other sports. Football has been responsible for starting a war in Central America, yet it is also responsible for initiating a truce between an African government and rebels seeking to overthrow that government. Heck, even in the recent SEA games, Indonesia may have come out over-all winners of that competition but their victory isn't complete because they lost the football gold to Malaysia who really relished the fact that they got the gold in the event that really mattered for them and the Indonesians. This is the context in which we should be viewing our place in the global sport of football, the beautiful game - it matters and we have a fairly good chance of being competitive in this milieu if we really put our hearts, mind and resources into it. Perhaps this is also why its rise in the Philippines is causing fear in those who don't understand or can't accept its rising prominence in the Philippines. 


Football in the Philippines has been marginalized for a long time, never given a second thought until its recent success. Now it is challenging the order of things of our sporting environment and it is making a number of people and some quarters uncomfortable. Come on guys, let me say just one word - reality. Football has made its mark, and on its own merits by the way. Government had nothing to do with this, it is people with heart, passion and commitment who have made this happen. Embrace the phenomenon, take it into our hearts and allow it to prosper.  


This is just the beginning of a project, a dream, a vision that is slowly making itself a reality and a very distinct possibility. The Azkals have done it again and is showing us the way, giving us reason to believe and to feel proud. So let's do our part as well and start acting as one country and one people and let's get behind this project and support not only the Azkals but the growth and progress of football in the Philippines as well.  


In the meantime, Turkmenistan stands in the way of further glory, go Azkals! We believe! ...and why do I get this sneaky feeling that these guys are going to end up doing something again in a few days time? 


2012 Moira G Gallaga©

Destiny Awaits - Philippines in AFC Challenge Cup

After a convincing 2-nil victory over the 2011 South Asian champions and 2008 AFC Challenge Cup champions India, the Philippine Men's National Football Team, the Azkals, have kept their hopes for reaching the semis alive.

Following a defeat to North Korea, the Azkals needed to win against India. This they were able to do without too much trouble. India had its moments, but one can reasonable say that the Philippines were more or less in control of that match. The changes made by Coach Weiss in the midfield paid off, and Phil Younghusband put away two of his chances. The first goal was shades of the goal against Malaysia on the 29 February. That long throw-in by Sabio has provided an added dimension to our offensive options. All in all, it was a pretty good and exciting match, with the victory making it that much sweeter.

The victory has set up a "winner take all" match against previous AFC Challenge Cup champion (2006) Tajikistan. An interesting development is that because of the respective score lines of both teams in their respective matches with the other teams in this group of death, a draw would result to a penalty shootout. 

Destiny awaits the Philippine Azkals. Their fate in this tournament, and a shot at another historic milestone and achievement, is within their grasp and fully in their own hands. 

Aside from providing the Azkals an opportunity of getting to the semis, the victory over India also brings renewed confidence to the team and the players. The victory and the opportunity for further glory is a good boost to team morale and the players will be raring to take on Tajikistan. The last time the Philippines and Tajikistan tangled it ended in a draw. This is a very different Philippine team now, and while the Tajiks shouldn't be taken lightly, the Azkals have a pretty good chance to pull off an upset here.

It gets tempting to get carried away now that we see that we have a foot by the door (the Tajiks too, by the way), but I believe there is cause for optimism. There is a bit more composure in the way the Azkals have been playing lately, and the defense has been proving solid. As the underdogs in this tournament, such improvements in those particular areas have become very vital to their current progress in this tournament. Conservative, smart and focus should be the buzzwords in this upcoming match. We cannot discount of course the burden and pressure of expectation, now that destiny is just around the corner. They cannot afford to be anxious and nervous about this match. They should approach this match with the attitude that they have everything to gain and nothing to lose.  In my opinion, the mental aspect of football will be the determining factor in this upcoming match. Though by the looks of the team, from their training matches in the Middle East, the friendly against Malaysia and their first two matches in this tournament, it appears they have what it takes to stay focused on the task at hand and effectively deal with the pressure of the occasion. 

Photo via goal.com

Another cause for optimism is Coach Weiss. He has taken a more pragmatic and conservative approach to matches. The team is now more organized and compact, resulting to more stability at the back. Quite a change from the swashbuckling offensive game the Coach was initially trying to develop for the team. That worked against teams of lesser quality, but definitely not against that way ahead of us in terms of ability and team chemistry. This new approach and emphasis in our playing style has obviously served the team well so far in this tournament. Additionally, Coach Weiss has also been utilizing his subs more. He has previously been taken to task to use subs sparingly. He may have his reasons then, but lately we've seen that he has been making use of the bench more effectively. 

So there we have it. The Philippines is on the edge of achieving another footballing milestone. Destiny awaits! It is there for the taking and the chances of doing so look promising. As we all dwell on this and what this all means, let us also not forget to consider how far this team and Philippine football has come in so short a time. 

2012 March, Moira G Gallaga©

North Korea vs Azkals - Climbing Mountains

The lofty peaks of Nepal serve as a fitting background for the latest round of challenges that the Philippines Men’s National Football team, the Azkals, face in this latest edition of the AFC Challenge Cup.

Having earned the right to compete in this tournament after successfully making it through the qualifying stages, the Philippine Azkals finally make it to the tournament after failing to do so in the previous two tournaments (2008 and 2010) when a qualifying stage was introduced starting in 2008. To say that the Azkals figuratively have a mountain to climb out there in Kathmandu, Nepal is no understatement.

Not only do they have to contend with playing in a high altitude environment where oxygen levels are much lower, they have also found themselves grouped with the three previous champions of this competition – North Korea, India and Tajikistan. Furthermore, aside from Paul Mulders, it looks very unlikely that key players such as Stephan Schroek and Dennis Cagara will not be able to join the team due to club commitments. Captain Aly Borromeo is still recovering from injury and was left behind in Manila while Co-Captain Chieffy Caligdong has just only recently been cleared to play but unlikely to start pending full recovery.

Now if those factors weren’t enough, there is also this dark cloud hovering about the team following the charges of sexual harassment on two members of the team just after their friendly match against Malaysia and around the time they departed for Nepal. No telling what effect that had on the players concerned and to the team in general given the public firestorm that unfortunate incident generated here at home. That is quite a challenging mountain that the Azkals must be climb in the next few days. For the Philippines, the AFC Challenge Cup is aptly named indeed.

However, following some solid and decent performances in their Middle East tour in preparation for this tournament, and in their recent friendly against Malaysia, the Azkals have shown considerable improvement and progress. Though still very much the underdogs in their group, the team currently in Nepal has the potential of springing a surprise or two.

The team just lost 2-0 to North Korea after holding the Koreans to a scoreless draw for 57 minutes. Considering that the North Koreans are the defending champions of this tournament and as recently as 2010, were in the World Cup in South Africa as well, our team did fairly well despite the loss. Come to think of it, what is North Korea still doing in the Challenge Cup if it can qualify to play in the World Cup? Anyway, a loss to the powerful North Koreans was very likely but the positives that we can derive from that match was that the performance of the Azkals showed quite a bit of promise as we look ahead to our matches against India and Tajikistan.

Photo via pinoyfootball.com

Granted this wasn’t the World Cup team of North Korea but more a mixture of its younger players and its veterans (their Europe based players likewise could not make it due to club commitments), it is still widely accepted  that their current line-up in Kathmandu is quite formidable and they are still considered the team to beat in this tournament. Therefore, with regard to our chances of advancing from the “group of death,” we will need the North Koreans to sweep all their matches and the Azkals should do all they can to pull off wins against the other two. This is the best and simplest scenario that works in our favor. There are other permutations possible that will enable us to squeeze in to the semis, but let’s not complicate things that much for now. Let’s cross that bridge when we get there.

North Korea is the toughest in the group and the Azkals did remarkably fine against them. Maintain that defensive solidity and compactness that they’ve been working on since their training camp in the Middle East and it will serve as a good foundation for the matches ahead. Perhaps their early arrival in Kathmandu would have allowed them to get more acclimatized to the thin air and they should be improving physically with each succeeding match. Following their match against the Philippines, the North Korean coach believes that the Azkals can cause trouble for the other two teams in the group.

So here we go a shot at making history and an opportunity to create further momentum for the growth of football in the Philippines. Up in the mountainous country of Nepal, in its capital Kathmandu, a momentous occasion awaits Philippine football and its fans and supporters. It is not an easy task and the challenges are formidable, but it isn’t impossible. In fact, just being there is quite an accomplishment in itself, to even have a decent crack at making it to the semis speaks a lot of the progress that Philippine football has made in such a short period.

So let’s go Azkals, let’s go Filipinas for WE BELIEVE!!!

2012 Moira G Gallaga©

MEN IN BLACK (…with Whistle and those Colored cards)

An official football match is never complete without those men in black (Well, at least back in the days. Nowadays, they get to wear other colors) with the whistle and those colored cards running the match, the referee and his fellow officials. Love them or hate them (it is more often the latter); they are an integral part of the beautiful game and provide their fair share of cause for the passion that exists in the world of football.

From the players, coaches, pundits and the fans themselves, you get this feeling that referees all over the world are incompetent, never get things right and worse of all, and cost your team the match. It is very rare that referees get commended for a job well done. If they were, the praise most likely came from neutrals. Often you would hear how a referee ruined what would have been a good match. He missed a crucial call; he lost control of the match, etc. The litany is endless.

Then again, let’s try to put a little more objectivity in viewing or judging referees. Many of their mistakes get scrutinized very closely because nowadays technology allows us to review incidents on video frame by frame. Yet this is hindsight, in the actual match the referee has mere seconds, maybe even less, to render judgment on the field and make a call. It isn’t easy and on top of all that, you have thousands of fans and supporters second-guessing your every decision and being very vocal about their thoughts and opinions on a call.

Now let’s look at the bigger picture. Human error, this is a fact of life and we live with this every day. We try our best to minimize it but the fact remains that it is still something we just have to learn to deal with in our daily lives. Human error is a feature of our lives that just happens and once done, there isn’t much to do about it but pick up the pieces and move on. As it is in life, so it is in football. For me, that is part of the beauty and wide appeal of the game around the world as football, both its positive and negatives aspects, is simply but a reflection of life as we know it. Only in football, we experience and savor life through a prism that is entertaining, exciting and loud (…and with my husband beside me, then it would also be full of swearing too).

Photo via uflphilippines.com

Now don’t get me wrong, I also believe that a lot needs to be done to improve refereeing. While I acknowledge that refereeing errors is part and parcel of the game, I also believe that authorities should be doing all that they can to improve refereeing.

Moving to a local perspective, let me just say that from some of the UFL matches I’ve seen and from feedback I get from my husband (to be honest, not the most objective resource in this regard), it appears local refereeing here needs to significantly raise their standards. The refereeing standard leaves much to be desired, especially in the manner by which referees control the match. It’s not so much botched offside calls, non-calls for handball or even inconsistency of the calling of fouls. I acknowledge that like our football, we also need to grow and support the development of our local referees. In time and with the proper support, I am sure standards will improve and those issues minimized.

Photo via interaksyon.com

The more immediate concern I have with the local officiating is the seemingly loose control of referees over some heated matches. There were some tough UFL Division 1 matches where you get the feeling that things were just going to boil over and the “violence” on the field was threatening to get out of control. This is a matter that needs attention right away. It is a situation that isn’t going to help our players, especially our young talents. As a mother, I also don’t relish having my son watch a match degenerate into a brutal and “dirty” affair because the referees fail to control the players and the general conduct in which the match is played. I can live with having my team lose because the referee botched an offside call. However, I can’t take situations where referees fail to give yellow cards for unruly and “dirty” behavior, retaliatory fouls involving flying elbows and the like.

Having said that, I am hopeful that efforts are being made by the relevant authorities to help and support our referees. Our players, clubs and coaches are growing and developing as Philippine football is now beginning to get the attention and support it deserves, our referees should also be part of that equation.

After all, the men in black with whistles and those colored cards are as much a part of the game of football as everyone who loves the sport.  

2012 Moira G Gallaga©