Azkals repulse Turkmen on Phil’s goal, gain AFC main draw

MANILA, Philippines - All they needed was a draw but the Philippine Azkals still worked and sweated it out to score a 1-0 victory over Turkmenistan last night and book a ticket to the AFC Challenge Cup Maldives 2014 as the winner of the Group E Qualifiers at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

The Azkals finished Group E with nine points to secure an outright slot in the Challenge Cup’s Final Round, joining fellow group topnotchers Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Palestine as well as the host nation, in the eight-team tourney where the eventual champion gets a berth to the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.

Phil Younghusband, the popular Fil-British striker who bamboozled Cambodia with four goals in an emphatic 8-0 rout two nights before, knocked in the marginal goal at the 66th minute – his 33rd international connection – as the Pinoy booters finally won one over the Turkmen.

Prior to last night’s match, the Azkals had lost two previous meetings with Turkmenistan, including a heartbreaking 1-2 setback in the semis of the 2012 Challenge Cup.

The victory, however, came at a cost for the Philippines as Younghusband was sent off on account of two yellow cards, consequently getting a suspension in the Maldives Challenge Cup. Younghusband was booked first at the 43rd for handball and a second time for holding on to shoulder and hip of Jumanazarov Akmyrat.

Captain Rob Gier also got a yellow card in the match, his second of the tourney which would also make him ineligible in the Azkals’ opening game in Maldives.

The Azkals were energized by the brilliant playmaking of Stephan Schrock, who helped set up scoring opportunities. Fil-German keeper Roland Muller, chosen by coach Michael Weiss over Neil Etheridge, manned the post splendidly and made a number of saves, including a shot by Muhadov Sullyman at the third minute of stoppage time.

The home side got the breakthrough at the 67th when Younghusband found the ball right in front of him after a scramble inside the box and did what he does best – slam it to the back of the net – as the crowd erupted in euphoria.

Turkmenistan, the bridesmaid of the last Challenge Cup, also advanced to the main tourney as the best runner-up among all the groups with six points and a 9 goal difference. Another “lucky loser” Bangladesh (six points, 5 goal difference) also made it to the Last-8.

Meanwhile, Azkals co-skipper Chieffy Caligdong has been nominated for the Player of the Year plum in the inaugural Asean Football Federation Awards on April 3.

Caligdong, according to a report by Fox Sport Asia’s Gabe Tan, is in the shortlist for the top honors, vying against Singapore’s captain Shahril and Thailand’s star striker Teerasil Dangda, the MVP and Top Scorer, respectively, in last year’s AFF Suzuki Cup.

Also contending for the premier individual award is Myanmar’s rising star Kyi Lin.

Aside from the region’s top booter, the AFF will also hand out 17 other awards, including Coach of the Year and National Team of the Year. Nominees for the other accolades have not been released yet.