Asia has 43 countries ranked in the WC Asian qualifiers. Teams ranked 28 to 43 whip each other’s behind until 8 teams remain, which then move up to the second round. We had been luckless in 9 qualifying matches and for the first time since 1934, Team Azkals (AFC #43, yes we sit at the bottom) move up to Round Two by kicking Sri Lanka’s butt (AFC #33).
We join Laos, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Palestine and Vietnam then do battle with the teams ranked 6 to 27 who drew a bye in the second round. Kuwait will be a very strong opponent, and I hear they have scouted us well. There will be 30 teams on this draw.
If by some twist of fate we make it past Kuwait, we, together with 14 other teams join Asia’s top five who drew a bye in the Third Round. Japan, South Korea, Australia, North Korea and Bahrain, in this order, are on top of the totem pole and they merited the bye by qualifying in the 2010 FIFA WC in South Africa.
The remaining 20 teams will be divided into 5 groups of 4 where the top two of each group will move on to the 10-team Fourth Round. The teams will be split into two groups and the top two teams of each group will then qualify for the 2014 Brazil FIFA World Cup.
Asia is allotted five slots to the World Cup so the third placers in both groups will clash in a Fifth Round, 2-game home-and-away format for the final ticket to Brazil.
The chances of making it to the Fourth Round are near impossible for our Azkals to achieve that Brazilian dream but resiliency, persistence and toughness against the odds just like a real askal, will push our boys to glory. So what if they misfire? They have done an excellent job giving life to a comatose Philippine football. As to that dream, let it remain as is. There’s always the Brazilian Cut.
By the way, there was a girl who allegedly cried rape and declared she was molested by four specific Azkals, whose looks would make local male movie stars feel big time insecure and rush to Belo and Calayan for major, major facial overhaul.
The act, as reported or blogged by a German, claimed that it happened at the residence of the team’s general manager. Hellooooo. I’ve seen girls and those who think they’re still girls practically offer themselves as sacrifices to our Fil-foreign athletes and they cry rape? Their gentleman manager will chop their dicks if they did so.
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Liloan is supposed to co-host with the Cebu Youth Basketball League this evening a mini tournament featuring the junior teams of University of the Visayas, Cebu Eastern Colleges, Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu and two under-18 teams from the municipality. Everything has been set and final meetings were held Wednesday evening despite the rain.
A simple freaking coordination would have been nice but damn, some living things just like to do things their way and present their “predicament” to the powers-that-be. Long story short, the tournament was compromised.
I hate last-minute phone calls declaring that some entity has stepped on our backs and telling us to find alternatives. CYBL is no ordinary organization and negotiating and dealing with them takes time and effort. And now, telling them it’s compromised is simply, prickly pretty. As I write this, the event is still compromised. By the time you’re reading this, there should be developments, hopefully positive.
The first time a similar situation happened was during the Cong. Red Durano Cup when a game we were supposed to host was cancelled for some pay-per-view. This is the second time. Come hell or high water or whatever, there won’t be a third time. Mor pa.