BAROTAC NUEVO—The Philippine national team gave the best they could and won its second match but the football gods weren’t smiling on the team as the country missed out on a spot for AFC Challenge Cup due to goal difference.
The Philippines blanked Bhutan, 3-0, yesterday but missed out after Tajikistan buried Brunei, 4-0.
Defending champion Tajikistan and the Philippines actually finished with seven points on two wins and a draw.
The Azkals earlier defeated Brunei, 1-0, in their first game before fighting to a scoreless draw with Tajikistan despite being a man down.
Substitute Chad Gould’s 39th minute header off a James Younghusband corner kick opened the scoring for the Filipinos, before Phil Younghusband’s right-footed strike four minutes before the break doubled the advantage.
An own goal from Bhutan defender Rinchen Pema in the 59th minute made it 3-0, but the Filipinos couldn’t add more goals to their tally as they couldn’t provide finishing touches on many chances late in the second half.
“We played well but we got unlucky,” said national coach Norman Fegidero, whose team did not concede any goal—a first for Philippine football in many decades—in all three games in the tournament. “Medyo kinapos lang kami.”
Playing before a huge crowd, the Philippines attacked without let-up early on but were almost caught flat-footed on the counter-attack in the 32nd minute when Yeshey Dorji latched on a Kinley Dorji through ball only to be stopped by Neil Etheridge.
Break through
The Azkals kept possession for long periods, before finally breaking through Gould. Positioned at the far post, Gould rose highest to meet James Younghusband’s in-swinging corner.
Phil Younghusband struck two minutes later when his deflected shot wrong-footed Bhutan keeper Jigme Singye and went into the back of the net.
“To miss out on a slot in the tournament on goal difference is frustrating,” Phil said.
Next up for the national booters is Asean Football Championship Qualifiers set later this year.
During the 2006 Qualifiers in Bacolod, the Philippines got the second spot after a 4-1 win over Brunei in their final assignment. (PFF Media Bureau)
