2014 AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers: Azkals ring up 8-0 win over Cambodia

(Updated 11:19pm) The Philippine National football team were on the pitch for less time than they were off it, but they still went one better than Turkmenistan, beating Cambodia 8-0 in their Group E AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers match, Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. [Related: Turkmenistan thrashes Cambodia to take control of Group E] Phil Younghusband had opened the scoring in the 25th minute, a neat piece of skill affording him room to volley in from close range before he curled in a shot from the edge of the area in the 31st minute to double the lead, and his own tally. He completed his hat-trick in the 34th minute, heading in a Carli De Murga cross to put the Philippines well in front. Azkals newcomer Javier Patiño wrapped up the first half, tapping in a Younghusband shot across to make it four, right before floodlights on the grandstand went out for a while, temporarily stopping play in a match beset by natural and some not-so natural problems. The Philippines came out quickly in the second half, with Stephan Schröck curling in the fifth in the first minute and Patiño adding his second of the game in the 57th minute. But as the rain poured down, the officials decided to suspend the game for thirty minutes, and then a further thirty minutes, before resuming play once the storm had died down. With the Azkals struggling to find a way through on the waterlogged pitch, Paul Mulders lost his cool as he kicked the ball at substitute Khim Borey and received a straight red card in the 85th minute. However, Phil Younghusband tapped in his fourth goal of the game in the 87th minute and Carli De Murga notched the Azkals’ eighth goal at the 90th minute from a Schröck corner, to complete the commanding win.   First half Despite not getting a packed house, the Philippines showed their intentions on the pitch as they looked to better Turkmenistan’s 7-0 win. Stephan Schröck, played out wide on the left wing, cut inside past two defenders and blasted a shot at goal. Samreth Seiha, in goal for Cambodia, turned the ball round the post well but the power of the shot left the Cambodian keeper down for a couple of minutes trying to recover. For a while Cambodia remained in the game, slowing the play down, until Carli De Murga crossed in for Phil Younghusband, who controlled the ball with his knee to give himself the space to hook the ball into the back of the net on the volley. Just six minutes later he shot from distance, receiving a pass from Paul Mulders, and curled into the top corner from the edge of the area. Wrapping up his ten minute hat-trick, the Azkals’ top scorer got on the end of a Carli De Murga’s cross to head beyond Seiha and make it 3-0 for the Azkals, and three for Younghusband, as he scored his 29th, 30th, and 31st goals for the Philippines with his second hat-trick for the country. Straight after, Cambodia brought in Soun Veasna for L. Raksmey in an early change, but they still didn’t have their first shot on goal until the 42nd minute, a long range free-kick being hit straight into Roland Müller’s arms. The Fil-German goalkeeper then raced out of his box moments later to clear a long ball and prevent their forward getting on the end of it, but that was the extent of his involvement in the first half. Then in the 45th minute, Stephan Schröck found Phil Younghusband on the left wing and he blasted across goal for Javier Patiño to tap in his first for the Philippines in his international debut as the Azkals equaled Turkmenistan’s first half score against Cambodia with a 4-0 lead. However, that wasn’t before the first calamity hit the Rizal Memorial Stadium as the floodlights on the grandstand went out for several minutes, halting play as officials tried to recover the power to the lights. Second half After someone found the light switch, the Philippines came out of the blocks quickly after the break with Stephan Schröck the next on the scoresheet, crossing in from the left wing, but the ball took a deflection and crept into the far corner. Then the rains began to fall and the downpour started, the pitch worsening by the minute as players began almost swimming on the field at times. However, that didn’t stop the Philippines grabbing their sixth goal in the 57th minute, Juani Guirado crossing in to his brother Angel, as the right winger headed down for Patiño. The new Fil-Spanish Azkal turned his defender before shooting into the top corner with the outside of his boot to bring the Philippines within one goal of Turkmenistan’s tally with over half an hour to go. However the rain was proving to be the problem as the officials began to discuss whether to even continue the match. In the 65th minute, the officials spoke to both captains and decided to temporarily suspend the game for 30 minutes, before extending that as the rain continued and fans feared the game would be abandoned. However after that 30 minute period had elapsed, the rains had died down a little and against all odds, enough water had been swept off the pitch for play to resume. In the 73rd minute Rob Gier picked up a yellow card after sliding in with his studs showing, though it was more the pitch’s fault as he passed the ball out and when the ball got stuck in a puddle he slid in to win it. Getting the ball cleanly, without hitting the Cambodian player, the booking seemed a little harsh. Then the Cambodians cleared what would have been Phil Younghusband’s fourth goal off the line in some sliding clearance by Sok Rithy. After Cambodian keeper Seiha went down four times in a row, Javier Patiño headed onto the bar before Angel Guirado headed just wide from a similar close range position in the next phase of play. However, Paul Mulders then saw red as he intentionally kicked the ball at substitute Khim Borey and was given a straight red card, but down to ten men the Azkals scored two quick goals to better Turkmenistan’s 7-0 win. First Phil Younghusband tapped in at the back post in the 87th minute before Schröck curled in a corner and Carli De Murga tapped into the empty net after Seiha couldn’t keep out the first effort. Despite the rain, another game to be played in two days, and the game finishing almost five hours after it started, no substitutions were made by the Philippines. What’s next for the Azkals After this 8-0 victory the Philippines are just ahead of Turkmenistan on goal difference. As some context, the only other time the Philippines have scored eight goals against an international opponent was back in 1917, in a 15-2 win against Japan, which remains the highest Philippines victory ever. The superior goal-difference pretty much guarantees the Philippines a spot in the next stage of the Challenge Cup, as only a loss by eight for would see the Philippines be eliminated at this point of the competition. A draw would mean the Philippines top the group, and Turkmenistan finishing as runners-up, while if there is a winner in the game, that winner would top the group and the loser would finish second.  - AMD, GMA News