Villaflor: Cardiff’s campaign

THE past few weeks have been busy for football both here and abroad. And there’s no letting up on the number of football matches that are coming our way. Good thing that to fans, there’s no such thing as a football overdose.

Next week is quite a loaded one at the club level, whether you’re following our homegrown heroes striving to make a mark in the region, or the big names duking it out in football wealthy Europe.

But let me start with a club that Filipinos would not be following if not for an Azkal standout goalkeeper named Neil Etheridge. I’m talking about Cardiff City, which suddenly has seen a spike of interest from this part of the world because of its campaign for promotion to the English Premier League.

I had a word with Etheridge at the lobby of Century Park Hotel Manila hours before the Azkals vs. Tajikistan match, thanks to the introduction from Team Manager Dan Palami. With nine games to go in the second-tier Championship, Cardiff was in second place and in a good position to be promoted.

I congratulated Etheridge for playing a crucial role in the team’s stellar run in the Championship, and asked him what it was like to be this close. “Right now, we’re just focusing on the remaining matches one game at a time,” Etheridge said.

Cardiff did stumble after that. After a win at home against Burton, Cardiff salvaged a draw at Sheffield United, then lost to successive matches: first to newly promoted Wolves — Cardiff missed two injury time penalties at home ground! — then away to fourth-place Aston Villa, who are desperate for promotion as well.

Cardiff bounced back with a 2-0 win in Norwich — thanks to an Etheridge shutout — and now find themselves back in second place with four matches remaining, not to mention have a game in hand over both Fulham (third) and Villa.

The club from Wales need just nine points out of a possible 12 from four matches to make a return to the Premier League since it first made an appearance in the top tier during the 2013-2014 season. If Cardiff advances, Etheridge would be the first Azkal to see action in the Premier League. And that,ladies and gentlemen, is worth following.

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