A heart strong weekend with fm101, Azkals & Ruby

What a crazy weekend we’re having, aren’t we? It’s a historical weekend for Pinoy Football with a visitor named Ruby threatening to spoil everything. But will Ruby get its job done? Or will Pinoy Football step up and deliver? We have two major events this weekend, both of which need our all-out support. We have the attempt to break the world record for the longest football match played over the past week at “Kick for Life: FM 101” right here in Cebu at the San Roque football field in Mandaue, and Leg 1 of the crucial semifinals of the AFF Suzuki Cup between the Azkals and Thailand played last night at the Rizal Memorial Football Field in Manila.

FM101: One thing is already certain. FM 101 has already broken the existing record of the 72 hours as early as Friday afternoon. By 7 p.m. last night, the clock would’ve ticked at exactly 101 hours, making Cebu the venue for the world record for the longest football match played in the world. That’s 101 hours of non-stop football spread over the past five days. Statistically, that’s 4.21 days (101/24) of playing football 24/7. Night and day. Sun and rain. Dogs astray (Azkals’ support?). Hagupit/Ruby. There were game officials, tents, makeshift beds, medical support, police support, barangay watchers, water, food, onlookers, bystanders, joggers, blisters, twisted ankles, goals scored, slide tackles attempted, sore bodies, a wedding anniversary, masseuse, a live band, volunteers all over, and the daily Masses at the San Roque Parish Church. I guess there couldn’t have been a more perfect combination of elements that made the feat so meaningful and historical. And all that happened on Cebu soil! And so we take our hats off to the organizers behind the feat. We had the 18 players on each side that played and played and played and played….for 101 hours. I’ve heard of football-crazy players and fanatics who eat, breathe and sleep football all  day. And I thought they were nuts. But these guys were more than that. They were crazingly brave, persevering, determined, and madly in love with their mission: To play for 101 hours straight and raise awareness and funds for a noble advocacy. Did I hear your say “Heart Strong?”

But that’s not all. You also have the 80+ people of the different working committees and crew of volunteers who worked so hard behind the scenes to get it done. They were the backbone of FM101. They didn’t play a single minute of football on the field but they were just as important as the players. They prepared for the event for over three months (or more), gathered sponsors, coordinated with the different support agencies, looked for a proper venue and made sure everything was set. They prepared meals, cleaned up the area and cheered. And they also stayed on duty for the 101 hours of football. Wow. Bow. Pinoy Football is proud of you. My Christmas wish is that the feat be recognized officially and ASAP by the Guiness (Book of) World Records, and that Kick for Life: FM 101 meets their objective to drive awareness and raise funds for children with congenital heart defects. On the side, let’s also add a pajama party where we can do what I do best: sleep!

And just as FM101 wrapped up last night, the Azkals were warming up to play Thailand at 8 p.m. in the first leg (of two) of the AFF Suzuki Cup semifinals. While this piece is to be submitted before the game was to start, we’re hopeful for an upset to be scored by the Azkals over the mighty Thailand team. Let’s face it. Thailand is good, solid and a powerhouse in the Southeast Asia even if the Azkals are rated higher in the FIFA rankings: Azkals are # 128 while Thailand is # 144. Thailand swept the opposition in group play of the Southeast Asia’s biggest football tournament for a perfect nine points, and they also defeated us in a friendly, 3-0, right before the start of the tournament. They beat Singapore (2-1), Malaysia (3-2), and Myanmar (2-0). The Azkals trashed Laos (4-1) and Indonesia (4-0) but got a 3-1 beating from Vietnam. On paper, Thailand is on a streak while the Azkals have been hot then cold. The irony here is that all the Azkals needed against Vietnam was a draw to take the top spot of Group A and avoid an early face off with Thailand. But that’s the past and we need to move on, don’t we? So do the Azkals have a chance? Can we score an upset? The answer is a big YES. But first things first. We needed football fans to go all out and fill up the Rizal Memorial Stadium last night. How I wish we could’ve held the game in Cebu. We would’ve easily filled up the Cebu City Sports Center with football mad fans. But that’s another story. While both sides are even from a technical standpoint, Thailand’s biggest edge is their being a more cohesive unit since majority of the players (if not all) play in the Thai pro football league and can practice as a team on a more regular basis than the Azkals. They also have a strong history of performance at the Suzuki Cup which was also known as the Tiger Cup in the past. The Azkals will need to overcome this edge by playing smart, patient and tactical football and  hopefully score early to gain momentum. Defense will play a key role against the fluid Thai offense which can break down our back line. I’m seeing some defensive adjustments to me made by Coach Thomas Dooley with the goal of denying that precious away goal. Expect the back line to be tighter with more help from the midfield. And if a counter is there for the taking, the Azkals will hopefully pounce on it, score a goal and make the crowd go wild. Wasn’t it a Thai coach who said “Heart Strong?”

What a weekend indeed it has been. To borrow a word from Gilas Pilipinas, Kick for Life: FM101 broke the world record and the Azkals can win with their biggest asset: PUSO!

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Time-out: Pray and stay safe as we “welcome” Ruby.