Bob Guerrero wrote:
This ranks up there among the all-time great football matches I've seen on a live telecast. This was football at its unpredictable best; a flurry of end-to-end action that left us all breathless.
Two other games come to mind that remind me of this one, and they both feature 3-2 scores. The first was the final match of the 1986 FIFA World Cup that I watched live as a thirteen year old living in Singapore. Argentina took a 2-0 lead against West Germany in Mexico's Azteca stadium before strikes from Karl-Heinz Rummenige and Rudy Voeller restored parity. Then Diego Maradona assisted Jorge Burruchaga on a breakaway in the end for the winning goal with under ten minutes to play. Still the most exciting Wold Cup Final that I've ever seen.
The second was Manchester City's ludicrous 3-2 win over Queens Park Rangers in 2012 that gave them the Premier League title on the last day of the season. City scored two goals in injury time to send the fans in Etihad stadium into rapture. I also lost my voice for two weeks, since yes, I'm a City fan (since 2007, before the money came in.)
This one takes its place alongside those two matches. It simply had everything you could ask for in a football contest. Eye-catching goals, magnificent saves, thrilling comebacks, a late game-winner, and a touch of controversy in the end, all on a very important stage; the semis of a tournament. If this won't bring the spotlight back to football in the Philippines then nothing will. There are so many facets of this match that I want to share I almost don't know where to begin.
Chris Greatwich gets the winner but spare a thought for Patrick Reichelt. Who would've thought that Greatwich's header in Hanoi in the 2010 Suzuki Cup would be eclipsed? It certainly has. This is a bigger, more important goal, and it comes in his eleventh year of service as a national team player.
Important fact: this is the first time the Azkals have won a game in a competition on the home ground of its opponent since the Miracle of Hanoi. (The Philippines did win friendlies last year at Myanmar and Hong Kong, though.) Once again, Greatwich has a starring role.
But Reichelt gets credit too. His work on the play allowed Chris to hammer home from short-range. Patrick did everything he could all game long to pick up his third goal of the campaign but he just couldn't hit the target. He did get the second-best thing: an assist.
In terms of quality, Phil's goal was my favorite. Younghusband made this goal practically all by himself. Notice how he uses his frame to box out the opponent in gathering the high ball, then does so well to swivel around and volley past Imran Mohammad. Pure class. It's his 36th international goal, and I have no doubt he gets to the half-century mark. It's only a matter of time.
With his two goals in Maldives, Phil is in the running for his second consecutive AFC Challenge Cup Golden Boot prize. He is one back of Ali Ashfaq and Ashraf Nu'man of Palestine.
The Philippines' defense had an uneven night under withering pressure but they accomplished the most important task: keeping Alis Ashfaq out of the scoresheet. The defense had its lapses but thankfully Müller was there on almost every occasion to rescue the squad. But Rob Gier, Amani Aguinaldo, Daisuke Sato and Simone Rota, with the help of holding mids Jerry Lucena, Jason DeJong and Chris Greatwich, have one big feather in their cap: denying Ali Ashfaq a goal. Ashfaq is a monster, with a level of dribbling wizardry, speed, and finishing that could serve him in a much higher level than the Malaysian league, where he is playing. I'm thinking J-League, A-League or even some second-tier leagues in Europe.
Roland Müller's stock rises once again. Sure he might not have been ideally positioned on Mohammed Umair's lob, but for the balance of the game, he was superb. He deserves a Man of the Match plum.
Müller has now saved two penalties in this tournament Not many keepers have done that. I'm hoping teams from bigger leagues give him a look after this match.
There will be talk about Maldives' refusal to fair play twice in the endgame, but the hosts deserved to be remembered for more than that. For the newbies to the game, the concept of fair-playing the ball is simple: if you have possession and you see an opponent on the ground injured, you play the ball out to halt play. Then when the injured player stands up, his team gives the ball back as a courtesy, and everyone claps.
This fair play convention is, to my knowledge, not in the Laws of the Game (although I could be wrong and feel free to correct me if I am.) It is, however, an unwritten code that is usually followed by all footballers, even very young ones.
Last night Maldives ignored it twice in the end of extra time as they desperately pursued a third equalizer. That incensed some of the Pinoy players, especially Simone Rota, who got yellow carded for accosting the Maldivians.
The incident reminds me of the 1998 World Cup Final between France and Brazil. The Selecao, trailing 2-0, fair play a ball back to Les Bleus late in the match. Leonardo, a Brazilian sub, gets into the face of the team mate who fair played the ball and yells at him, as if to say “it's the final of the World Cup! Screw fair play!”
Maldives should have fair played the ball. It would have been the honorable thing to and observers would really have appreciated them for that. But to heap scorn on them for it is uncharitable and not quite seeing the whole picture. The most remarkable aspect of Maldives last night was their indomitable fighting spirit and will to win the match in front of their home fans. They came from behind twice, and nearly leveled again. They deserve plaudits for that from Azkals fans.
Maldives have defensive frailties, no doubt, but their counterattacks are breathtaking and gave us fits. They were a terrific opponent and their fans created a fine atmosphere in their excellent football-specific stadium.
Give Thomas Dooley a new contract. Dooley's covenant with the PFF is only until the end of the year. I say tear it up and give him a new sheet to sign that keeps him in Manila until the 2016 Suzuki Cup.
The German-American has made some surprising calls this week, but ultimately he has gotten the job done despite numerous obstacles in his way. The Azkals have been able to mix it up stylistically with passing sequences intertwined with piercing direct play. Thus far it has worked.
One interesting fact: With Simon Greatwich's late introduction into the match, the coach has now played every single outfield roster player in this campaign. Only keeper Patrick Deyto has not seen any action.
Onward to Palestine on Friday. They will not be pushovers. Dooley has plenty to think about between now and Friday. Stephan Schrock was not 100%, didn't start, and couldn't influence proceedings that much. Aguinaldo made plays but gave up a penalty. Does he stick with him or go with the more experienced Lucena or Del Rosario in the final?
Palestine took out a very good Afghanistan team 2-0 in the first semifinal. The score doesn't show how they dominated the match, especially in the first half. Their physicality, control of the midfield, and organization on defense helped asphyxiate the Afghans into submission. I have no doubt they will give us a tough game. It is a vastly different squad from the one we beat in the 2012 bronze medal match. Only Nu'man is a familiar name.
In four matches, the Palestinians have yet to allow a goal.
But the Philippines are riding on what looks like an unstoppable wave of momentum. On Friday we'll see if that wave can carry them to victory and a spot in Australia for the 2015 Asian Cup.
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