Wednesday, November 15, 2006 RP football team whips EastTimor in AFF tourney By Mike Limpag Sun.Star Staff Reporter
BACOLOD City - Going into last night’s game against Timor Leste, the Philippines needed to win badly. It turns out, they need only 23 minutes to stamp its class against a listless Timor Leste for a 7-0 bashing at the Panaad Park and Stadium last night.
Philip Younghusband, who plays for the Chelsea reserve team in the English Premier League, scored four goals in the team’s second game of the Asean Football Federation Championships qualifiers.
The win put the Philippines in temporary hold of the top spot on goal difference after posting a 1-1 win loss record. Erstwhile leader Laos, who also has a win and a plus one on goal difference, was still playing Cambodia at press time last night.
“They knew what was expected of them and they delivered,” said national coach Aries Caslib during the post match press conference.
Brownout
Meanwhile, the second match got delayed last night after a power outage hit the stadium. Just like in the Southeast Asian Games when one match was marred by a brownout, the lights were expected to be back in 15 minutes.
The first few minutes of the match showed a different RP team, with crisp passing, solid defending and more authoritative forays in the Timor Leste half.
Twenty minutes in, the two Philips produced the first goal for the Philippines.
Philip Greatwitch found a streaking Philip Younghusband, who turned and volleyed the ball past a hapless Leonel Joaquim for the first goal of the match.
Two minutes later, Younghusband converted a penalty for his second goal of the match, and before the Timor Leste defense could recover and the screaming audience could rest with the two goals, Greatwitch headed James Younghusband’s cross for a 3-0 count.
Boosted by his two goals, Phil, James' younger brother, toyed with the Timor defense in the 36th, playing a “lets-see-who-blinks-first” ploy as he had his right foot on the ball, the defender frozen still in front of him. The Chelsea reserve then deftly flicked the ball to the top left corner for a 4-0 count at the half.
Future
“The win was a description of the current team and the character of the future of Philippine football,”said Caslib.
RP had been the whipping boys in the Asean region, until last year’s SEA Games when the Azkals, coached by Caslib, gave powerhouse teams Malaysia and Thailand a tough time before dropping out of the medal race.
Last night, Caslib put in Emilio Caligdong in the second half and things got worse for Timor Leste, as the player called Chippy chipped the ball over Joaquim for a 5-0 count, while Philip banged in his final goal in the 70th before Caligdong scored his final goal after redirecting James Younghusband’s cross.
“The Philippines is a good team, because they play good positioning and have players who have good technical skills,” said Timor Leste coach Almerio Isaac.
The 19-year-old Phil said, “It was more important for the team to win, but I am overwhelmed in scoring four goals.”
