Philippines v. Mongolia. Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup Pre-Qualifying Play-Off, First Leg

Hooray for the Azkals. Now let's hear our post-game analysis.

Pana-ad Stadium isn't really a stadium. That is, of course, if we use this definition of a stadium: "A stadium is a place where the crowd can do a continuous, never-ending wave." Pana-ad only allowed quarter-waves.

Unless of course those trees are Ents, in which they are more than welcome to join our human wave.

The opponents, by the way, are the Mongolians. The Mongolian team is known as the Blue Wolves, although they're wearing red.

If this game was played centuries ago, Genghis Khan would've slaughtered everyone in Pana-ad if they lost.

The Mongolian team has a star player by the name of Tugsbayar Ganbaatar, who sports the number 12 jersey.

Not related to Genghis or Kublai.

And here were the starting eleven for the Philippines:

Clockwise from top left: Borromeo, J. Younghusband, Araneta, Etheridge, Gier, Del Rosario, Jonsson, De Jong, Caligdong, P. Younghusband, and Gener

Kick-off time. And what followed after kick-off was crappy football. Okay, maybe crappy is a harsh word. Well it wasn't good football, and I don't like to tell lies. So maybe "not-so-good football"? Will that do? I'm sorry, but I just got used to European football, where I could distinguish the difference between good football in the UEFA Champions League and not-so-good football in the English Premiere League.

"Who you callin' not-so-good?"

As we approached the end of the first half, the Philippines finally scored a goal right between the legs of Mongolia's huge goalkeeper. That goal was scored by Barotac Nuevo's Emelio "Chieffy" Caligdong.

"Hey Chieffy, nice goal. But I'm gonna score one later."

Okay, now what the hell was Neil Etheridge doing way outside the penalty area? He's probably bored or something. And he looks stupid in grey.

"I feel grey brings out the color of my eyes."

In the second half, more crappy football. There is no fluidity in the passes, and the attacks from the wings were easily read by the Mongolians. Both strikers Ian Araneta and Phil Younghusband desperately wanted a goal, they made God-knows-how-many attempts. But it finally paid off, as the younger Younghusband scored a goal after a blocked shot, making panties drop all over the archipelago.

"Don't want Chieffy to take all the glory now, do I?"

Next match for the Azkals will be in Ulan Bator in Mongolia on the 15th of March. But aside from the atmospheric differences, it seems no one is afraid of the Mongolians anymore.

Not even Dubya.

*some info from the Asian Football Confederation
pics from Internet is Really Really Great, Twitpic, San Francisco Film Society, YFrog, I Luv the High Life, i Online Philippines, FIFA, Charm Dongon via It's Me Ann, Yeyell's Tumblog, The Sidney Morning Herald


Rating: Three out of ten.
Chieffy Caligdong's goal: Plus two points.
Phil Younghusband's goal: Plus one point.
Final rating: Six out of ten.