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Tuesday, December 28, 2004
‘Semis spot was within reach’
By Mike T. Limpag
Sun.Star Correspondent
EVEN if he missed the Tiger Cup this year because of his wedding, Freddy Gonzales praised the efforts of the national team, which earned its first win in international football since 1996.
Philippines defeated East Timor, 2-1, behind Emilio Caligdong’s two late goals. The 21-year-old Caligdong also equaled Gonzales’ record of three goals in the Tiger Cup, the most by any Pinoy player.
“About the national team, I think they did well, but also they didn’t take full advantage of the teams that they were up against. A lot of teams were rebuilding and played mostly Under-23 players,” Gonzales said in an e-mail to Sun.Star Cebu.
“Thailand was missing key players, Malaysia also was missing Indra Putra and Akmal Rizal. We almost lost to East Timor and a 16-year-old scored for Myanmar. With the teams we were up against, we should’ve made the semis,” he said.
As for Caligdong, Gonzales said: “He is a very fast player and he plays well. But he benefited from having a big striker around him like Ali Borromeo, because Ali was the Philippines’ key player this year.”
No chance
In his previous Tiger Cups, Gonzales said he never had the chance to play alongside a striker like Borromeo.
“It would’ve been scary for the other teams had Ali and I been playing together,” he said. “We really understand each other and play really well together and we would’ve scored many goals together in this Tiger Cup.”
In the next edition in 2006, Gonzales promised he would be back on the national team.
“As for the so called record. It really isn’t a record yet because I haven’t retired and I will be in the next Tiger Sup, so expect my goal tally to rise,” he said.
Next year, Gonzales is set to suit up for the Queensland Lions in the Hyundai A league in Australia. He previously played in Vietnam.
(December 28, 2004 issue)
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