Qatar - Azkals United
July 23, 2011
Today will be one of the biggest fight the Philippine Azkals will have to face, a race to finish magnificently to qualify on points in this 2nd round opener for the FIFA World Cup 2014 road to Brazil. 57 long places below the more experienced Middle Eastern Powerhouse and former 1980 Asian Cup Winners Kuwait, The Azkals will have a hard time handling superior attack, defense and strategy, well on paper that is for now, the Squad trained in Bahrain playing the U23 Squad, lost on both practice matches, this might have tickled the Kuwaiti side to think the Philippines will never be a force to reckon with today as the match kicks off in the evening, Kuwait Coach said, that his team is ready and will be too much for the AZKALS too handle, but he respects the Philippine Football Team, but also apologized for a coming loss. I say, he can apologize all he wants but until the match is concluded Sir, you may keep your apology inside your bag and be ready to bring it home and open it in the lockers with your players.
A draw is what the Azkals are hoping for, to play offensive is not an option at the moment like how they drenched Sri Lanka on a historic match in Manila. Unfortunately, Sir Dan has already confirmed that they will not have defender and capttain Aly Borromeo and Stephan Schrock to boost their flanks as FIFA Ruled out any exception, but then again, they will have to heavily rely on the others AZKALS to play smart and defensive Football vs Kuwait. Roel Gener or Jason Sabio should be starting in place of Aly Borromeo.
Chieffy Caligdong will be carrying the captaincy on this match.
Good luck has however shed on the team as Ray Jonsson, the Fil-Icelandic defender and Philippine last line of defense Neil Etheridge came in just in time as we introduce ourselves to some 4,000 OFWs atleast watching the Kuwait Vs Philippine Match today. As Manny Ott had said "It will be a Home Game", but you see, football is a religion in Kuwait, expect some 14, 000 singing & screaming Kuwaitis with drum beats tonight.
In round one, The Azkals are heavy favorites Vs Sri Lanka, and later in the evening, the tides are turned Vs Kuwait, playing Goliath in this event, whom David knocked out in a single Sling Shot, Can we pull this off and write the story of legends like David? Well find out in a few hours, kapit mahigpit, kapatid kung Azkalero. The game is about to start.