Breakthru finish embellishes Azkals 'miracle story'

MANILA, Philippines - Coach Michael Weiss went to the extent of calling the ongoing saga of the Philippine Azkals as a “miracle story.” 

But the German mentor was quick to note that the fairy tale should not end with their monumental bronze medal feat in the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup but instead be sustained on a “stable platform.”

“History is something that you can easily put into your mouth but history is really true,” Weiss said after the Azkals overachieved and reached new heights in the recent Challenge Cup in cold Kathmandu, Nepal.

The milestone standing meant the Azkals have leveled up further since breaking grounds in the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup semis in late 2010.

“The Philippines could be a mediocre team which is playing in qualifiers and maybe sometimes they would make it to the Suzuki Cup (final group stages) or not, or the World Cup qualifiers. But I’m telling you, there’s a miracle story going on but you will only realize it in 10, 15 years, not now,” said Weiss.

“Now, eveything’s going up, up, up. But you have to put this on a stable platform. That will be the art now – (for) all the people involved, all the people who make decisions (to maintain this),” he added.

Although faced with lack of time to really train together and besieged with controversies off the field, the Azkals managed to land in the podium in the Challenge Cup. This coming from a side that had to hurdle Mongolia in the qualifying playoff last year and another tough bunch in the qualifying group stages before reaching the main competition in Nepal.

“It’s been a long journey. We started more than a year ago against Mongolia and it ended last Monday in our (third place) match against Palestine,” said team manager Dan Palami upon the team’s arrival in Manila after an exhausting 16-hour flight back from Kathmandu. 

“And some of those who started the journey with us are not here. Our skipper Aly Borromeo has an injury (ACL). There are some other guys, Anton del Rosario, Joel Bermejo, Yanti Barsales, are also part of our journey so we also dedicate this particular victory to all of them,” he said.

The third place finish, according to Palami, was laced with many firsts.

“This is the first time the 19th or 20th ranked team (overall) has managed to get third place in the Challenge Cup. This is the first time Phl has been in the final group stages and we’re just glad we’ve been able to surpass expectations and the performances of our selves,” he said.

After 20 days of training and competition in the chilly Himalayan nation, the Azkals will break camp, go back to their respective families and clubs and savor the cherished bronze medal finish.