Azkals United prove football is more fun in the Philippines

It wasn’t like any other Azkals match we’ve seen so far. We’re used to having the Younghusbands and the names that rose to fame in the Suzuki Cup. Our ears have gotten used to tens of thousands of screaming fans whenever Chieffy Caligdong would touch the ball. But when the Azkals United faced Icheon Citizen FC on Saturday at the Rizal Football Stadium, it wasn’t anything like that. The stadium was barely filled for the second leg of the charity football games for Sendong victims. All the players from the Loyola Meralco Sparks FC and Kaya Cignal FC did not suit up (yes, that means no Younghusbands, Hartmanns, Anton Del Rosario and company). And to the semi-disappointment of many fans, no goal from the veterans of the team. To add to that, we lost to the third division Korean football club Icheon Citizen F.C. in the penalty shootout, 4-2. The kids watching were already covering their faces whenever the Koreans got near the goal. As an Azkal fan, I would be worried because the AFC Challenge Cup is only a couple of months away. But as a Filipino, I couldn’t help but think of the Department of Tourism’s “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” campaign while watching the whole match. Here’s why. No superstars Because we didn’t have the usual big names, more United Football League and former national team players got exposure. Ruben “Balot” Doctora, Jerry Barbaso and Nestor Margarse received significant, and well-deserved, playing time. More notably, Marwin Angeles scored the goal that put the game at 1-1. If it wasn’t for this Laos FC player, we wouldn’t even have gotten to the penalties. Still, the services of the seasoned Azkals were terribly missed especially in the midfield. With the absence of the trusty James Younghusband, Angel Guirado and Misagh Bahadoran were moved to the center. While there were flashes of brilliance, particularly from Bahadoran, one can’t help but notice that there’s something lacking in the midfield. These guys are used to playing as forwards so maybe there really was a tendency to go to the first third of the pitch. Nevertheless, it’s good to cheer for a different roster every now and then. The debutant Denis Wolf Now there are two Azkals wearing headbands, which can get a bit confusing especially when you’re watching from far away. Like Guirado, Filipino-German Denis Wolf debuted for the Azkals sporting long locks and a headband. The FC Magdeburg player got a heavy dosage of what it’s like to play for a national team. He cramped his leg, got stripped of a possession after he successfully stole the ball from an opponent, and lost a chance at a penalty kick. (The replay showed that Wolf was tripped by a Korean player just by the line of the penalty box. The referee thought otherwise, much to the dismay of the fans. The referee would infuriate the Filipino crowd a couple more times after that incident.) The good thing with Wolf is that he worked hard on the field. Imagine, the usual strikers got moved just so he could be one-half of the two-man frontline alongside Ian Araneta. He probably understood that he was being so passionate about the ball and the calls, just like how a person representing a country should play. No more hating on Ed Sacapaño Gone are the days when Ed Sacapaño took all the heat whenever we’d lose a match. Seriously. Why do people even compare this homegrown talent to Neil Etheridge? Both have their strengths and weakness. No two athletes are created equal, and the fans finally realized just that. Sacapaño saved at least five goals, most of which he received standing ovations for. Football is more fun in the Philippines The DOT’s new campaign isn’t just an internet meme. The Kia Rio Cup took it to the game. With fire dancers, mardi gras performers and a samba batucada band, major sponsor Kia unveiled its new Rio release during the halftime show. One lucky fan even took home his very own car at the end of the night. The ushers were also aptly dressed in Filipinianas and Korean kimonos to cater to the multi-cultural crowd in the stadium. Where else in the world do you see a football match like this? Only in the Philippines, I tell you. - AMD/KBK, GMA News