MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Azkals made Filipinos proud once again after their performance in the recently concluded third PFF Peace Cup, which came to a close last Saturday (September 6), with the national team placing 2nd against the hungry team of Myanmar in an exciting final match.
It was a good start for the Philippines’ national football team as they triumphed over Chinese Taipei in the semi-finals round with a leaping lead of 5-1. Mark Hartmann led the squad with a brace, while team captain Rob Gier and James Younghusband also scored goals to assure their place in the finals. While trying to block a shot, Chinese Taipei’s Chen Yi Wei scored a goal for the Azkals, raising the lead of the Philippines.
However, the finals round proved to be more challenging as expected. The fans at the Rizal Memorial Stadium and the 2.5 million people who watched on ABS-CBN Sports+Action and Balls Channel have witnessed the close and heart-stopping match against Myanmar. The tight battle resulted to two 15-minute time extensions where the Philippine Team stayed true to their “Sugod Azkals” battle cry and continued to fight with all their heart. Throughout the match, Daisuke Sato and Phil Younghusband strived and went all out to deliver good plays scoring 2 goals for the team. Myanmar closed the tournament with a tight score of 3-2 and taking home the Peace Cup crown.
With their resilient attitude, the Azkals are already getting ready to charge towards more challenges that are well on the way. Determined to defend their growing reputation as the top team in Southeast Asia, the Azkals will continue their battle in the upcoming international matches scheduled in the coming months, particularly this November, when they are set to participate in Southeast Asia’s biggest tournament, the 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup. This year’s competition will be hosted by Vietnam and Singapore.
In full support of “Sugod Azkals”, ABS-CBN Sports+Action brings the Filipino audience closer to the matches in the upcoming 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup, which will be airing on the channel.
With ABS-CBN Sports+Action airing the matches and with the undying support of the fans, the Azkals will surely feel more inspired and encouraged to attain victories during the AFF Suzuki Cup and to improve their current highest FIFA World Ranking of 128th place.