Limpag: Dream is still alive

THE realistic target when we saw our group in the Asian Cup was to finish third and hope we will be one of the four best third-place teams to make it to the knockout stage.

So far, despite that 3-0 rout to China, that target is still achievable. We are at last in Group C at 0 points and a -4 goal difference, trailing Kyrgyzstan, which also has 0 points but a -3 goal difference.

So far, Group D’s Vietnam and Yemen also have 0 points in two matches, while Syria and Palestine both have a point in two matches. The other groups have yet to play their second games. I am highlighting this since I am hoping at least two other groups will have tailenders that have 0 points in two matches so we can still advance if we win our final game against Kyrgyzstan.

A win would get us to three points and if those two other “0-pointers” will earn a draw or would lose their final matches, we will make it as one of the wild cards.

So far, we haven’t had a lot of chances against South Korea and China. Javier Patiño had the best chance but on hindsight, Stephan Schrock should have gone to the open Patrick Reichelt, who was by his lonesome at right flank instead of Patino.

But what’s done is done.

It’s been interesting also to see Phil Younghusband start at the bench. Our top scorer in international matches has seen many chances lately, coming on as a late sub against South Korea and as a second half sub against China.

Will he crack the starting lineup in the final game? I hope so. He deserves to start considering it was his goal that sealed our Asian Cup spot last year. However, I don’t think Sven Goran Eriksson is one that cares about sentimentality.

That game against China was quite disappointing. After a solid showing against South Korea, China made us pay for our lapses and loose markings. Though Stephen Schrock again had some lovely balls from the midfield, there was no one to latch on them up front and that’s something we need to improve on drastically in our final game.

The dream is still alive. Fret not, fellow fans, despite those two losses we still hold our fate. We just have to win our final game.

We’ve reached this far, might as well gun for the impossible and dream of advancing all the way to the knockout stage.

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