FOOTBALL players and fanatics from all over the country, around 20,000 strong, trooped to Panaad Park and Sports Stadium in Bacolod City to cheer the country's newest sports icon, the Philippine Azkals, in their bid to qualify in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup.
The Azkals were up against Mongolia's Blue Wolves, proverbial dogs versus wolves.
I was fortunate to be in Bacolod for work during this celebrated match. Taking a break from work, I met up with Davao football players: Paul "Beau" Garcia, brothers Buboy, Ian and Cocoy Arrieta, Deski Descallar and Manuel Monroid, and readied myself for one exciting evening.
We were among the early crowd who gathered at the stadium so we could avoid the hassle of long lines and get front row seats.
Two or more so hours in the wait for the game to start, we entertained ourselves, and the crowd, with our custom-made alphabet shirts. Buboy had the bright idea to don us in blue shirts with yellow letters that formed the phrase GO! AZKALS! I happened to be the pretty exclamation-point for the word "Go!"
Beau, a striker for Davao's Real Solido FC has brought me to a couple of football tournaments, and has asked me to help mount several football tournaments. And from this, I can say, that despite a considerable pool of talent in the country, football in the Philippines is an under-appreciated sport.
Up until the Philippine Azkals.
The stadium was filled to the rafters, and we were all chest to back as we waited for our pride and joy to score. It was Emilio "Chieffy" Caligdong's fancy footwork that tricked Mongolia’s defender for the Azkals' first goal during the first half of the game. Bringing the score to a two-nil was the stunning pass made by Jason Sabio to striker Phil Younghusband, whose swerve ball gave the team their second goal on the last few minute of the game.
The jubilant mass from the Panaad Stadium celebrated with the Azkals during the after-party. Bands played on both ends of Lacson St. , where make-shift tents with monoblock tables and chairs were set-up to accommodate the many who wished to party with the Philippines' newest football stars.
There was also a party at the rooftop of L'Fisher Chalet for those who preferred to dance to the music spun from the able hands of DJ Leandro Zayco.
I had the pleasure to be introduced to Azkals' Peter Jaugan by Beau. Both had played either together or against each other during their college days when they were strikers for various football clubs in Davao.
It's fair to say that the Azkals brought new life to Philippine football. The sport deserves it. Our country deserves it. May we see more support for the sport and our country's football players' Azkals or not.
Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on March 03, 2011.
/via Sunstar
Here's a video clip of the match, video credit to pefdgraphy@youtube ...
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