GO AZKALS!

Some members of Azkals pose for a picture. Photo courtesy of Azkals Photostream.

 

If I had my way, I’d be at Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City tonight to watch the football game between our very own Azkals and Mongolia. But it’s my wife’s birthday and I just couldn’t dig up enough courage to ask her that I’ll be going to Bacolod City. Despite the bouquet of flowers, I left on the dashboard of our van this morning, (for her to obviously discover) I just couldn’t summon enough courage to leave.

            She knows my passion for football and would watch gleefully as I play with our youngest son James, who by the way, wants to be a football player!

            I’ll probably request that after dinner, we watch the game on TV, just like when the Azkals played Indonesia in semis of the Suzuki Cup.

            This is a great moment in Philippine football history. Never has there been so much adoration and expectation for a Philippine football team than these Azkals. And they deserve every accolade.

As for expectation, that would be a different story. I think some of us are expecting too much.

            There’s not much we know about Mongolia. They arrived in Bacolod City the other day without any fanfare. Looking at the picture of the group, they seem young and very serious.

            Looks could be deceiving but I think they know they’re the underdogs here. Wait until they host the other game on March 16 at their national stadium of Ulan Bator.

            The Azkals is 30 rungs higher in ranking (152) than the Mongolians (182) and the favorites in this qualifying series for the AFF.

            This is the first meeting between the Azkals and Mongolia. The two sides have faced Macau. The Azkals beat Macau 5-0 while the latter beat Mongolia 2-0. The scores may indicate the “competitive level” of Mongolia but anything could happen in the pitch.

            If Phil Younghusband would have his way, however, he said he’d put in two goals for the Azkals tonight. That might a little boast but Phil is the country’s leading scorer and has played at Panaad many times. “I expect to score at least two goals in that game. I have standards for myself. If I don’t (score two goals), I will be disappointed,” the 23-year-old striker was quoted as saying.

            I’ll be eyeballing Phil tonight. My eyes will be on him every time he has the ball because I took his word for it. This means the Azkals will win by at least two goals.

            For this game, German Coach Michael Weiss has the following line-up.

            Neil Etheridge (GK), Eduard Sacapaño, Rob Gier, Anton Del Rosario, Alexander “Aly” Borromeo (Captain), Ray Anthony Jonsson, Jason Sabio, Joebel Bermejo, Jerry Barbaso, Rey Palmes, Kristopher Relucio, James Younghusband, Emelio Caligdong, Jason de Jong, Patrick Henrichsen, Simon Greatwich, Mark Ferrer, Nestorio Margarse, Roel Gener, Phil Younghusband, Ian Araneta, Peter Jaugan and Yanti Barsales.

            Recent call-ups include Cebu’s Christopher Camcam, Michael Atienza, David Basa, Gino Pavone, Mark Drinkuth, Christopher Greatwich and Manuel Ott.

            GO AZKALS!