Suzuki Cup: Chieffy saves the day to lift Azkals over Vietnam

(Updated 9:30pm) When the chips were down, the Azkals turned to Chieffy.

The 30-year-old national team veteran came off the bench at the 74th minute and then connected at 85' off a pass from Angel Guirado to give the Philippines a 1-0 win over Vietnam, Tuesday at the Rajmangala National Stadium in the AFF Suzuki Cup.

The Philippines’ first points in the Suzuki Cup, following a tournament opener loss to Thailand, also means that a win against Myanmar will send the Azkals through to the semifinals.

Starting line-up

Pressure was on suspended head coach Hans Weiss from the start. In an all-or-nothing game, Weiss made some big decisions regarding his starting line-up, playing Jason De Jong in the holding midfield role and starting Patrick Reichelt ahead of Chieffy Caligdong and Jeffrey Christiaens on the left wing. With Chieffy on the bench, Rob Gier took the armband as captain.

With De Jong starting, Paul Mulders was pushed forward into the attacking midfield role just behind Phil Younghusband as the lone striker. Angel Guirado then had to fulfill the impact substitute role in attack, with Denis Wolf near full-fitness and able to play also. Wolf’s inclusion on the bench also confirmed Demit Omphroy’s ineligibility in the group stage, though the former MLS right back will be able to play if the Azkals make it through to the semifinals.

Vietnam made two changes themselves from the side which drew with Myanmar, bringing in Nguyen Bien and Tran Dong for the injured Dao Phong and Au Hoan in defense.

First half

The opening 45 minutes were tentative, with both sides knowing a loss would send them out of the competition. With no rain, the pitch looked much better too and both sides mostly played the ball on the ground. Phil Younghusband had a shot blocked early on before Vietnam countered and Pham Luong, switched to the right flank, cut inside on his favored left foot, and found Nguyen Hoang. Hoang played the through ball for Le Cong Vinh but Ray Jonsson was alert to the pass and cut it out well with a sliding challenge.

Phil Younghusband then had the chance to put the Azkals in front, but as the ball was played to him from the right, he stumbled and mishit his shot wide, only ten yards out from goal. The game settled down with both sides cautious in their play, fearful of going a goal behind.

Then the most contentious part of the half happened in the 28th minute, with Phil Younghusband through on goal. The Vietnamese defender came in and slid in on the Loyola striker and Azkals’ top scorer. From the stands, it seemed as if the Vietnam player hadn’t got to the ball. With Younghusband falling to the floor, the referee immediately blew for a free-kick for Vietnam, booking the younger Younghusband brother for diving. Neither he nor the management seemed to protest and so it appeared fair.


Phil Younghusband stayed on his feet next, receiving a smart pass from Lucena in the 38th minute. Turning his defender, he bared down on goal but again struck wide as he looked for his first goal in this year’s Suzuki Cup.

Phan Hung then played a fantastic cross field pass for Luong, who controlled nicely but was outmuscled in the Azkals’ area by Juani Guriado in defense. On the counter, Paul Mulders found space on the right and tried to chip the keeper from distance, masking the effort as a cross. It almost caught out the 2008 Suzuki Cup Most Valuable Player, but the Vietnamese goalkeeper managed to pedal backwards and tip the ball over.

Mulders then exchanged passes with Reichelt on the right wing and found James Younghusband in the center, but the older brother lost his footing and couldn’t get his effort on target, summing up the opening forty five minutes for both teams as neither side could find a clinical touch in front of goal.

Second half

Angel Guirado came on in the second for Paul Mulders and the switch made some difference up front, with his strength and first touch allowing the Azkals a target man to hold the ball up on the counter.

The second half started slowly again though, both sides still cautious and wary of making a mistake. Ed Sacapano cleared the ball poorly and it fell to Phan Hung as Vietnam worked the ball out wide to Luong. His shot was blocked but it gave a warning to the Philippines as moments earlier Sacapano had dropped a cross but recovered to pounce on the ball.

In the 59th minute Le Tan Tai shot from distance, but Ed Sacapano got down low to hold the ball. Vietnam began to take control of the possession though, and looked like they would fashion the better chances, threatening to end the Azkals’ chances of a semifinal run. Rob Gier and Juani Guirado were solid in defense and their height dealt with the barrage of crosses into the box.

On the counter, as manager Dan Palami predicted before the game, Vietnam looked vulnerable and Angel Guirado’s introduction gave the team an outlet. Phil Younghusband came off for Denis Wolf in the 66th minute and the new Global striker ran in support of the former Global man.

Vietnam then took off their leading scorer too, as Le Cong Vinh made way for Nguyen Hai to what seemed to be jeers from the Vietnamese crowd. Vinh is Vietnam’s leading scorer, but has hit a run of poor form and has only one goal in 2012.

Meanwhile Jerry Lucena got booked for a tackle from behind before Cheiffy Caligdong came on for James Younghusband, with Patrick Reichelt switching back to his normal right midfield role so Chieffy could play on the left.

The substitutions made all the difference as Angel Guirado received a long ball upfield and, spotting Cheiffy’s run, he chipped the ball to the Air Force winger. Cheiffy brought down the ball and fired past Duong Son in goal to send the small Philippine crowd into raptures.

Vietnam piled on the pressure and almost hit back immediately as Nguyen Hoang turned Ray Jonsson on the left wing and, for fear of giving away a penalty, Jonsson couldn’t slide in from behind. As Hoang dribbled into the corner of the area, he cut back and fired at goal. Sacapano made a quick, reflex save though and tipped the powerful shot onto the bar, the defense mopping up to preserve their lead.

Hoang and Le Tan Tai continued to shoot from distance but couldn’t hit the target as Vietnam’s pressure failed to create a clear cut opportunity. Ed Sacapano got booked for time wasting at the end, but the full-time whistle blew to the delight of the attending and watching Filipinos.

Team performance

After the game Coach Michael Weiss said that the team performance gave them the win. Watching from the sidelines he said that his team “fought like lions and warriors. We had to withstand the power attacks of Vietnam [at the end].”

Weiss then went on to praise the entire squad as he noted the impact of the substitutes saying, “You could say they changed the match,” and that “wouldn’t have been possible without the fantastic defensive line.”

Patrick Reichelt was Weiss’ standout performer, something more impressive given that according to the German coach, “Reichelt lost two teeth last night and was in the hospital... and he was man of the match... I’m very proud of the boy.”

The victory leaves the Philippines in second place ahead of the Thailand versus Myanmar clash. With three points, the Azkals will be assured of qualification if they can beat Myanmar on November 30 as the victory would take them to six points. Coach Weiss was careful not to call Myanmar the weakest side in the group though, as doing so would be “naive,” he said, and the Azkals must take Myanmar seriously in order to progress.

The final games of the group will be played at 20:20 local time, 21:20 Philippine time, with the Azkals versus Myanmar match at the Muang Thong Stadium.  - AMD, GMA News