Sacapano takes Etheridge place for Azkals

IN the absence of ace goalie Neil Etheridge, Edward Sacapano will have to play big when the Philippine Azkals national football team takes on Mongolia right in its own turf in Ulan Bator next week.

Sacapano, a Bago City native, who played for West Negros University in college, will be the Azkals’ last line of defense against the Wolves, who will be looking to beat the Azkals at least by a score of 3-0 to clinch their home-and-away duel in the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup.

The 21-year-old Fil-British Etheridge, who helped the Azkals reach the semifinals of the Suzuki Cup late last year and backstopped the same team against Mongolia during the initial home-and-away match, which the Azkals won, 2-0, in Panaad Stadium, will be gone for a month to honor his commitments with his ballclub in England.

But Sacapano’s teammate readily gave the reserve goalie their vote of confidence as they gear up for the decisive match in cold Ulan Bator.

“May tiwala kami kay Edward. Kayang-kaya niya iyan,” said Ian Araneta, one of the Azkals’ designated hitters, who plays the same position with Phil Younghusband.

A win by the Azkals will advance them into the group stage of the AFC Challenge Cup which will be held in neighboring Myanmar.

The Azkals, who will fly to Ulan Bator on Saturday night, are nearing the end of their training at the Japan Football Association training facility in Gotemba City.

The Azkals only need a draw to advance in the Group Stage, where they are bracketed with Bangladesh, Palestine and Myanmar.

Aside from Sacapano, other goalkeepers on standby for the nationals are Christopher Camcam and Paolo Pascual.

Meanwhile, the Azkals got a taste of world-class football when they bowed to Kanto Gakuiin University football squad, 4-0, in an exhibition match played at the artificial pitch of the Toki no Sumika recreational facility.

Japan is rated no. 1 among Asian nations in football, and the win only underscored the Japanese’s mastery of the game.

Meanwhile, Fil-foreign booter Jason Sabio is set to join the Azkals today, along with Chris (Simon - nicky) Greatwich, who be planing in from the United States. Peter Atencio

/via Manila Standard (3/11/2011)

New recruits to boost Azkals

The Azkals, honored with the Presidential Achievement Award, pose with Philippine Sportswriters Association president Teddyvic Melendres (center) during the PSA Annual Awards Night Saturday at the Manila Hotel.

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Mariano Araneta Jr. and national team manager Dan Palami broke the news during an interview at the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards Night in the Centennial Hall of the Manila Hotel last Saturday. They confirmed that three recruits will reinforce the Azkals in the group stage of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup in Yangon, Myanmar, on March 21, 23 and 25, assuming the Philippines dumps Mongolia in their qualifying series.

The recruits are led by Spanish-born Angel Aldeguer Guirado, a Fil-Spanish striker who has played for the Spanish Division III team Deportivo Ronda in Malaga. He cuts an imposing figure on the pitch because of his 6-2 frame. Guirado, 26, is a first cousin of Caloy Garcia, Rain Or Shine assistant coach in the PBA. His mother Angela Aldeguer is the sister of Garcia’s mother Gloria and father Juan is Spanish. The Garcias trace their roots to Ilagan, Isabela. Guirado has worked out with the Azkals but is not eligible to play in the Azkals’ second leg match against Mongolia in Ulan Bator on March 15 because he’s not in the lineup submitted to the AFC.

“Angel was in Manila five years ago,” said Garcia’s mother Gloria. “He will leave for Spain tomorrow and rejoin the team in Myanmar. It’s a pity he can’t play in Mongolia because his name was not included. The coach (Michael Weiss) is happy with him.”

Guirado, who speaks only Spanish, now has a Philippine passport. In Spain, the mother’s maiden name is used by children to follow the father’s surname so that the Azkals’ latest recruit is known as Angel Guirado-Aldeguer or Angel Guirado y Aldeguer. It’s the same in Cuba where former Philippine boxing coach Raul Fernandez is known as Raul Fernandez-Liranza or Raul Fernandez y Liranza as his mother’s maiden name is Liranza.

Araneta said possible future recruits are the Toronto-born De Guzman brothers, whose father Bobby is Filipino and mother Pauline is Jamaican. Midfielder Jonathan, 23, is now playing for Spanish La Liga club Real Mallorca after a stint in the Dutch league. Older brother Julian, 29, used to play for the Spanish club Deportivo La Coruna and now suits up in the Canadian league. The De Guzmans, however, have indicated no interest to play for the Philippines so far. Julian has played for the Canadian national team. FIFA allows players to switch national teams provided they are able to show legitimate passports.

The two other Azkal recruits are Fil-German Stefan Schrock and Fil-Danish Jerry Lucena. Schrock, 24, plays for the German Division II club Greuther Furth. His mother is Filipina and father, German. Lucena, 30, was born in Esbjerg, Denmark, to a Filipino father and a Danish mother. He plays for the Danish Division I club AGF Aarhus.

Schrock showed up at the PSA Awards Night walking with crutches. He’s in town to apply for his Filipino passport.

Also at the PSA Awards Night were goalkeeper Neil Etheridge’s parents Martin and Merlinda Dula of Concepcion, Tarlac. Etheridge was not permitted to take a leave from his English club Fulham to play in Ulan Bator. His parents are in town for a two-week holiday.

The Philippines will advance to the group stage in Myanmar if it beats Mongolia in their qualifying two-game series on an aggregate goal basis. Awaiting the Philippines-Mongolia winner in Group A are host Myanmar, Bangladesh and Palestine. The top two finishers in Group A will join the top two placers in three other groups to play in the eight-team Challenge Cup finals where the winner qualifies to compete in the AFC Asian Cup.

/via Philippine Star (by Joaquin Henson, March 07, 2011)

Azkals' amazing 2-0 win over Vietnam is sports story of year

Philippine football team goalkeeper Neil Etheridge (left) works against the vaunted Vietnam team during the Suzuki Cup. (EPA)

In an incredible year for Philippine football, Manny Pacquiao has to settle for second place behind the gritty bunch of football players, fondly known as the Azkals.

The Azkals placed the Philippines in the international football map with their unprecedented performance in the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup.  A merry mix of Fil-foreign and homegrown talents, the Azkals stunned powerhouse Vietnam, 2-0, and drew with Singapore and Myanmar to reach the semifinals for the first time against Indonesia.

As one veteran scribe puts it, the team’s win against Vietnam was like Brunei beating the Philippine basketball team.

The Azkals’ journey began with the entry of young British coach Simon McMenemy who replaced compatriot Des Bulpin last September.

The team, whose core has been playing since 2004, also got a new manager in Dan Palami who belongs to a family of educators in Leyte.  Palami poured funds into the team that was then training for the qualifiers in Laos.

The Nationals eventually earned a place in the main tournament by registering five points (one-win and two-draws) in three games, including a draw over host Laos in the second match.  In that contest held on Oct. 24, the Azkals escaped defeat when James Younghusband scored in stoppage time to preserve a 2-2 tie that stunned the boisterous home crowd.

The magic continued in Vietnam, one of the two sites of the Suzuki Cup tourney, when the team salvaged a 1-1 draw with former three-time champion Singapore, a squad that has some naturalized players.  This time, it was Chris Greatwich who scored in injury time off a cross from Younghusband in the 94th minute.

Then came the match against Vietnam.

Playing before 40,000 fans at the My Dinh National Stadium, the Azkals blanked the home team, 2-0, on goals by Greatwich and Phil Younghusband.  Greatwich made the first goal, a header in the 37th minute.  The Vietnamese tried to counter, but couldn’t get past goal keeper Neil Etheridge, who began his stint two years ago in Iloilo as an 18-year-old member of Fulham FC in England.  Phil Younghusband added salt to injury with a goal in the 79th minute, triggering a flood of messages on social-networking sites worldwide.

The Azkals eventually earned that elusive berth when they forged a scoreless draw with Myanmar and arranged a two-leg home-and-away duel with Indonesia.  They finished with five points (one-win, two draws) in Group B but the celebration of the momentous occasion turned to dismay when they learned they couldn’t play at home.

The Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City was ruled not fit for the match against Indonesia.  Competing in front of crowds of 70,000-85,000 raucous people at Bung Karno Stadium for in the semis, the Nationals lost twice to the Indonesians, yielding a goal each as naturalized Indonesian Cristian Gonzales scored all of the goals.  Gonzales, an Uruguayan prior to his naturalization, made Etheridge pay dearly for his defensive miscue with a header off a cross in the 32nd minute of the first leg then delivered an impressive strike that sailed past the outstretched arms of a diving Etheridge in the 43rd minute of the second leg, thus ending the dream run.

Despite the losses, the Azkals have sparked renewed interest in the sport.

They are set to play three tournaments, particularly the AFF Challenge Cup against Mongolia on February [nicky: Azkals won against Mongolia] with significant financial backing from the likes of sports patron Manny V. Pangilinan and Asia Brewery.

After much politicking, Mariano Araneta's election as new president of the Philippine Football Federation finally gained recognition from FIFA.  Araneta’s ascencion came after Jose Mari Martinez, then Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president, was removed from office for alleged misapporpriation of funds.

/via Manila Bulletin