Sacapano means salvation, as goalie's efforts preserve Azkals win over Singapore

(Updated 10:10pm) Clinical finishing for the Philippine Azkals allowed them to take home a 1-0 friendly win over Singapore, Thursday at the Cebu City Sports Complex, courtesy of a Marwin Angeles goal at the 54th minute. It was their second victory over Singapore in the space of three months against a wasteful Singapore side. With both sides opting to bench their number one strikers, in Phil Younghusband and Aleksander Duric, it took a while for the teams to get going. After a goalless first half, where Ed Sacapano smartly saved a Shi Jiayi penalty, the Azkals made changes at half-time which immediately paid off. Phil Younghusband came on and crossed for Patrick Reichelt, who knocked the ball across goal for Marwin Angeles to tap in to open the scoring in the 54th minute. But the standout was Sacapano in goal, as he pulled off another three smart saves in the second half to protect the Azkals’ lead. First half Early on, Singapore showed they were a better side than the one the Azkals beat earlier this year. Dominating possession in the opening ten minutes, they threatened in set pieces but couldn’t find the killer ball for that clear chance. The Philippines, meanwhile, took until the 14th minute to threaten as Safuwan Baharudin downed Denis Wolf on the right wing. The resulting free-kick was whipped in and Patrick Reichelt challenged the keeper, but Hyrulnizam Juma’at gathered the ball on the second attempt. Moments later, Baharudin intentionally brought down Patrick Reichelt and earned himself the first booking of the game. In the 26th minute Singapore threatened again, with Shi Jiayi whipping in a deep cross which was headed at goal. Ed Sacapano, in goal and in need of making a case for the number one jersey after a report came out that Neil Etheridge would be unavailable for the Suzuki Cup, managed to gather the ball cleanly diving to his left. Shi Jiayi then got himself on the end of a cleared corner moments later, and from 30 yards out rocketed a shot at goal. Sacapano was alert and despite the power of the shot, managed to gather cleanly again. Shi Jiayi turned provider next, as he crossed in for Khairul Amri from the right. In space, Amri should have added to his tally of ten goals for the Singaporean National Team, but instead headed just wide. With Singapore pressing forward and controlling the majority of possession, the Philippines were limited to counter attacks despite playing with home field advantage in Cebu. In injury time of the first half, Demit Omphroy played a great reverse pass for Chieffy Caligdong, who pulled the ball back for Denis Wolf, but he hit the Azkals’ only shot on target in the first half too close to the goalkeeper. Seconds late, Singapore were down the other side of the pitch and Khairul Amri turned on the ball and was falling over as Jeffrey Christiaens came in to tackle. As Amri hit the deck the referee blew for a penalty, but replays showed that it was a terrible decision as Amri was already going down before Christiaens got close. Shi Jiayi stepped up and drove the spot kick low and hard but Sacapano guessed right and saved, tipping the ball away with a fantastic stop. The crowd erupted at the save, and as the follow-up shot was hit into the side netting, the halftime whistle blew. Second half Jeffrey Christiaens, Chieffy Caligdong, and Chris Greatwich made way at halftime, with Ray Jonsson moving to left back, and Demit Omphroy taking over at right back. The Younghusband brothers and Marwin Angeles also took to the field as Singapore brought on Aleksander Duric to make a difference. Against the run of the play, though, the Azkals opened the scoring. In the 54th minute Phil Younghusband played a good, deep cross to the back post where Patrick Reichelt had charged forward. The goalkeeper came out but he was badly positioned and the ball floated over him. Reichelt flicked across goal but it was off target until Marwin Angeles diverted the ball in. The Lions could have equalized shortly after as Shahril Ishak’s mishit shot found its way to Shi Jiayi who, with time and space, flashed the ball wide of goal. It was another let off for the Azkals who faced another heart-stopping moment when Juani Guirado gave away a free-kick on the edge of the area. Shahdan Sulaiman curled in the set piece in the 75th minute and it looked destined for the back of the net before Sacapano once more dived to his right to pull off a good, one handed save. The Lions’ captain Shahril Ishak was the first to react. As Ishak got possession, Sacapano had already gotten back to his feet and managed to block Ishak’s shot, with some help from the woodwork. The Azkals went up the pitch on the counterattack next, with James Younghusband crossing in for Denis Wolf. But with the goal gaping, he headed into the ground and Juma’at had time to get his fingertips to it and tip away for a corner. Refusing to park the bus, Phil Younghusband’s clever movement outfoxed the Singaporean defense in the middle of the park. He drove forward and clipped in a beautiful cross which put it on a plate for Denis Wolf, but once again the Fil-German striker wasted a good opportunity in front of goal. With the clock winding down and the Azkals holding onto another solid win, in their last match before the Suzuki Cup, it underlined a tale of two stories. At one end of the pitch, the need to find a star striker to partner with Phil Younghusband up front became more obvious as Wolf had two more clear opportunities to find the back of the net but missed. Angel Guriado will be the obvious choice if he’s available. Ed Sacapano, meanwhile, may have made a case for the Philippines not to care so much that Neil Etheridge won’t be available for the Suzuki Cup. He highlighted that case with every color of the rainbow as he dove to his left in the 89th minute to stop a 30-yard Shaihful Esah free-kick that was headed right into the bottom corner of the net, that effort being the thirteenth shot Sacapano saved throughout the game. It underlined a fantastic performance from Sacapano, perhaps his best ever in an Azkals shirt, ahead of what will be the biggest competition of his life if he is to be the Azkals’ number one goalkeeper for the Suzuki Cup. - AMD, GMA News Man of the Match: Ed Sacapano