A Philippine football team known to thrive in adversity faces its biggest challenge yet when it battles Mongolia minus several key players Tuesday in the second leg of their AFC Challenge Cup duel at the National Stadium in Ulan Bator.
Dutch midfield ace Jason De Jong has completed his move to Indonesian club Persiba Balikpapan, becoming the first Filipino player to join the Indonesian Super League.
MANILA---The National men’s football team opened training camp for the second leg of its AFC Challenge Cup duel with Mongolia in Baguio City yesterday with the coaching staff led by German mentor Hans Michael Weiss putting emphasis on sharpening the squad’s finishing in front of goal which was left wanting in previous matches.
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Azkals beat Mongolia’s Blue Wolves, 2-0 on Wednesday’s first leg of the qualifying match in the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup in Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.
Chieffy Caligdong and Phil Younghusband scored the goals for the Azkals as a crowd of an estimated 18,000 Filipinos from all over the country cheered them on like rock stars.
Philippine team goalkeeper Neil Etheridge went straight to the training ground after arriving yesterday in Bacolod as the Azkals started putting the finishing touches to their qualifying match against Mongolia for the first leg of the AFC Challenge Cup
Having played for the country 18 times since making his international debut in Iloilo City three years ago, Etheridge sees no problem blending with the Azkals, whose core have remained the same in the past six years.
“The team being formed again late shouldn’t be a surprise as this has always happened,” Etheridge told the Inquirer upon arriving in Manila Saturday night. “I’m sure that the team will bond quickly and become a stronger force.”
Leftback Ray Jonnson also trained with the squad for the first time since arriving from Iceland Saturday night. The team is only waiting for central defender, Rob Gier, who will join the squad this morning.
Azkals team manager Dan Palami said the squad is now primed for the showdown with Mongolia in what is considered as the most highly anticipated home match in recent history.
“I think we are ready with the arrival of Neil (Etheridge) and our other defenders,” Palami told the Inquirer over the phone. “With the
team that we have now, I am optimistic that we will be able to live up to the hype.”
Two players who are not on the Challenge Cup squad—Filipino-Scottish brothers Ryan and James Hall—joined training over the weekend along with Filipino-Danish standouts Jerry Lucena and Dennis Cagara.
James Hall, 21, has long been a prospect for the national side, but injuries and his commitments with Everton have denied him of a chance of playing for the Azkals earlier.
Lucena and Cagara will not see action against Mongolia as they have yet to secure their Philippine passports.
But Palami said their mere presence during training had a positive influence on the squad. “These are the players who have the caliber to take us to the next level,” said Palami. “They have a positive influence on the squad as they inspire everyone to step up.”
With a couple of days left before the match, Palami stressed that the team is keeping its focus amid all the hoopla surrounding the match.
Palami is expected to reveal the 23-man squad today. Thirty-five players made the trip to Bacolod, some of them picked after impressing in the tryouts last month.
The Mongolians are also arriving in Bacolod today, after reportedly undergoing training in Guangzhou, China to get acclimatized to the weather in the Philippines.
Gier, 29, formed a solid back four with skipper Aly Borromeo, Jonnson and Anton del Rosario in the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup, where the Azkals yielded just three goals in five matches.
Etheridge, who is fresh off a stint with Fulham’s first team last month, expressed confidence that they can overcome Mongolia.
“The team looks strong and sharp,” Etheridge said. “It will be a new experience for us as we haven’t played Mongolia before but we are looking forward to the challenge. I hope that my presence between the posts can enhance our recent good performances.”
The Philippines football team is gunning for no less than a comfortable victory against Mongolia in the first leg of their AFC Challenge Cup duel in Bacolod City, and the Azkals aren�t burdened by the high expectations heaped on them by the public.
�Expectations are always high and all this buildup and attention toward us just makes us hungrier for more victories ahead," Azkals skipper Aly Borromeo told the Inquirer.
�We�ve been waiting so long for football to touch the heart of the Filipinos. This is just a step in proving that we can put Philippines in the football map of the world."
Borromeo was responding to comments made by Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco Jr., who said that Filipinos should not expect too much from the Azkals, despite their semifinal finish in the AFF Suzuki Cup last December.
Cojuangco�s statements on the radio show �Usapang POC� that the Azkals� match with the Mongolians was getting too much publicity went viral Friday (February 5) and drew passionate comments from fans online.
�I think we need all the hype we can get at this moment," Borromeo said.
The Azkals continued their buildup Thursday when they beat a Central Philippine University side bannered by Koreans, 4-1, in a match watched by 3,000 fans at the Panaad Stadium.
Simon Greatwich opened the scoring with a 35-yard strike in the 17th minute, before Ian Araneta doubled the lead before halftime.
The Koreans pulled a goal two minutes after the restart, but Borromeo scored on a header from a corner kick in the 49th minute, before new recruit William Guerridon wrapped up the scoring in the 65th minute.
Filipino-Dutch midfielder Jason de Jong was inserted into the starting eleven a day after arriving from the Netherlands.
The Azkals missed star striker Phil Younghusband, who was sidelined by a hamstring problem on both legs. Younghusband said he should be ready for the showdown with Mongolia on Wednesday (February 9).
Meanwhile, two Filipino-Danish standouts�Dennis Cagara and Jerry Lucena�arrived in Manila Friday to process their passports, a requirement needed for them to play for the Azkals in future matches.
Go easy on the expectations. “I’m worried about the high expectations,” said Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco yesterday, referring to the Azkals’ match against Mongolia in Bacolod City on Feb. 9.
The match, which serves as the first of two legs between the two countries in the AFC Challenge Cup, has created such a stir that everybody wants to be at the Panaad Stadium on that day.
Hotels in Bacolod City are already fully booked as well as airline flights to and from the city at least a day before and after the match which is expected to draw more than 16,000 fans.
“There seems to be too much publicity. But I hope that we win. We’re good. But we have to understand that we’re coming up from the bottom. I hope we don’t expect too much,” said Cojuangco.
The POC chief will be there along with Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia. Cojuangco said President Aquino, his nephew, should be there, too, as long as his schedule permits.
“If there’s time he will go. It depends on his work. There are too many problems for him to work on,” added Cojuangco.
He said the public should not expect too much on the Azkals despite their historic top four finish in the AFF Suzuki Cup last December, because it might put too much pressure on the players themselves.
“Yes, we have the potential, but let us not expect too much. We have a new coach, and some of the players are just about to plane in, with just how many days away,” said Cojuangco.
The new Azkals coach, German Hans Michael Weiss, had aired the same sentiment before the team flew to Bacolod last Jan. 26.
“I’m hoping for a convincing victory. But let us remember that there are opponents on the other side of the pitch. I know everybody’s enthusiastic but please give us some time,” he said.
“Playing Mongolia does not give us an automatic result. But we will try to win as you wish us to,” he added.
Stand up, wear white and be counted as a Philippine Azkals fan. To gather strong support for the Azkals who will be battling the Mongolians in the AFC Challenge Cup qualifying match on Feb. 9, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) is enjoining the fans to wear white shirts.
PFF president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta said white will be the theme since the Azkals, beefed up by Fil-foreigners, will be donning white uniforms in the first of the home-and-away duel set at the 15,500-seater Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.
Araneta, also the Iloilo Football Association head, said the unity in colors will play a great factor in the match just like when
Brazilian fans wear yellow or Japanese fans wear blue in World Cup matches.
“Seeing a sea of fans in white will certainly fire up our players,” said Araneta, a former national player from University of the Philippines Iloilo.
Following the Azkals’ amazing semifinal finish in the AFF Suzuki Cup last Dec., the popularity of the sport and the team zoomed to unprecedented heights, making next week’s match a sure-fire blockbuster.
“It (the match) could be our biggest crowd in the history of Philippine football,” said Araneta, adding that the tickets, 10,000 of which are free of charge, will be available for distribution today.
Meanwhile, Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia said preparations are on track for the match, saying locker rooms and shower stalls have already been repaired, and the field is ready and currently being used for training.
At presstime, around 1,200 lights are being transferred from the Paglaum Stadium to Panaad Stadium to make the venue fit for international standards.
People in Bacolod are also in festive mood for the upcoming match, with students swarming the Azkals even inside the hotels after practice, Azkals asst. coach Edzel Bracamonte said.
The Philippine national football team played its usual game but was eventually held to a 4-4 draw in a tune-up match against an All-Star selection from Negros Occidental held at Panaad stadium.
While the "Azkals" scored four goals in the first half, the Negros team – dubbed the "Asukals" – tied the score in the second half.
"It was our test match and the players made a good impression, but we could have played with more rhythm," national coach Michael Weiss said after the game, according to a report Tuesday on Visayan Daily Star.
Phil Younghusband scored two goals, while Ricardo Bisete and team captain Aly Borromeo had one goal each for the Azkals, all in the first half.
The "Azkals" Team A, which was fielded in the first 45-minute half of the game, dominated the Negros All Stars, with Phil Younghusband scoring in the 10th minute, while Bicete made it 2-0 four minutes later.
Younghusband scored his second goal in the 19th minute.
But the Asukals, who had only four days of training as a team, scored a goal courtesy of La Sallian Aldrin Doleno before the first half ended.
The Azkals' Borromeo made sure they had the game under control with a 43rd-minute goal for a 4-1 count at halftime.
"They dominated us in the first half. Clearly, the Fil-foreign players have a great influence on the team," said Negros coach Nonoy Fegidero, also a former national team mentor.
In the second half, Weiss fielded Team B – which gave a chance for the Asukals to be aggressive in offense.
Doleno slipped past his defenders and scored Negros's second goal, which earned cheers from the bench and their followers from the grandstand.
Jaime Poderoso booted back-to-back goals to tie the game at 4-all.
"I told the players to give 100 percent during the game as it is a big opportunity for them to play against the national team," Fegidero said, adding that Negros players used to compose 60 percent of the national team.
For his part, Weiss did not elaborate about the way Team B played in the second half. "We're supposed to give every player a chance. The result speaks for itself," he said.
The Azkals will play another friendly on Thursday, this time against the Korean-reinforced team from Iloilo’s Central Philippine University. The game will also be played at Panaad Stadium at 4 p.m.
This will become a reality as the Philippine Football Federation has forged a partnership with telecom giant Smart Communications to finance a local football club championship.
The partnership will last for a span of 10 years, with the giant telco releasing a total of P80 million for the project aimed at providing opportunities for skilled football players.
Smart Communications made the offer during a PFF board meeting in Cebu the other day. Newly-installed PFF president Mariano “Nonong" Araneta approved the proposal Monday.
“This will be a perfect opportunity to provide homegrown Azkals a venue to hone their skills more," said Araneta. “Who are we not to accept that kind of offer?"
The offer was laid out by Patrick Gregorio, Smart Sports marketing and special project head, during the board of governors meeting in Cebu on Saturday.
Gregorio said the fund will help in the creation of a Filipino Premiere League.
According to Gregorio, at least four companies — controlled by businessman/sportsman Manny V. Pangilinan — are willing to sponsor a team. These are Smart, Meralco, Maynilad, and Cignal TV-TV5.
Football has regained Filipinos' interest following the success of the Philippine Azkals in last year’s Suzuki Cup.
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Azkals are hoping for a win over a young and inexperienced Mongolian football team when they face off in the AFC Challenge Cup qualifying series starting February 9 at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod.
Azkals coach Hans Michael Weiss said that the hosts’ edge in experience should give them more motivation to pull off a win against the Mongolians, who at rank 182 in the world, are 30 places below the Philippines.
“It’s a transition year for Mongolia,” the German coach said at the PSA Forum at Shakey’s UN Avenue in Manila. “Maybe we will be facing an inexperienced team.”
Weiss, who has been preparing his team for “a convincing win,” said he has been informed that Mongolia would hold a training camp in Guangzhou a week before the match, and that could negate whatever advantage the Azkals have in terms of acclimatizing to the Philippine weather.
At the same forum presented by Pagcor, Accel, Outlast Battery and Shakey’s, Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia said he has been waiting for the release of the P6 million to help defray the cost of hosting the match.
“The hosting of the match is very important, especially now that we are trying to ignite a strong following in football,” Garcia said.
The bulk of the government funding will go to the enhancement of Panaad’s lighting system.
Weiss said the Azkals’ transition to a more attacking style of play would take time.
“Its really difficult to impose that style of play and a coach needs a certain period of time, considering the low level of football pitches we have in the Philippines,” he said.
President Aquino will be among the thousands of fans when the Philippines battles Mongolia in the first leg of their qualifying series in the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.
This was confirmed yesterday by Philippine Olympic Committee chair Monico Puentevella, who also said that Senators Miguel Zubiri, Teofisto Guingona III and Bong Revilla are also expected to watch the game slated on February 9.
The President, who had promised support to the Azkals during their visit to Malacañang last month, was invited by Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta.
When the Azkals played Indonesia in Jakarta in the Suzuki Cup semifinals last month, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudyohono cheered for the home squad, which prevailed after winning the two legs via 1-nil scorelines.
The PFF has allotted 10,000 general admission tickets to fans for free, while 4,000 grandstand seats will be for sale at P300 each.
The Azkals had just wrapped up a three-day tryout at the University of Makati pitch for players aspiring to be part of the squad in future tournaments, including the Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia late this year.
New Azkals coach Hans Michael Weiss said he plans to bring 25 players, including the veterans in the Suzuki Cup, to Bacolod when the Azkals begin training camp on January 26.
Some of the overseas-based members of the team like Fil-Icelandic defender Ray Jonnson, and Fil-British players Chris Greatwich, Rob Gier and Neil Etheridge are expected to join the team a few days before the Mongolia match, according to team manager Dan Palami said.
MANILA, Philippines -- Foreign aid continued to pour in for Philippine football and PFF president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta vowed transparency as his administration faces the tough task of ensuring that the assistance leads to sustainable development of the sport in the country.
Three Arab nations – Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain – were the latest to join Germany in pitching in to help the PFF in its programs with an annual financial assistance of $100,000 until 2014.
Araneta was able to secure the aid during the Asian Football Confederation Congress in Doha, Qatar, last week.
He said the money would be specifically allotted to national competitions.
Aside from the financial aid, the three countries have also offered to host the national team for free training camps.
Coinciding with Araneta’s visit to Qatar was Azkals team manager Dan Palami’s trip to Frankfurt, Germany, where he was also able to get an assistance package from the German Football Association (DFB).
“They have promised to help us with necessary things to make our team competitive,” said Araneta at a press conference at the Manila Yacht Club on Tuesday.
The PFF is planning to stage a men’s Under-23 tournament this year that will also serve as a try-out for the Southeast Asian Games.
“With more national tournaments, we will have a stronger pool for local players,” said Palami.
Philippine Olympic Committee chairman Monico Puentevella, who is also part of the PFF delegation in the AFC Congress, attributed the surge in support to the semifinal finish of the national team in the AFF Suzuki Cup last year.
The PFF also receives an annual aid of $250,000 from the International Football Federation (FIFA). Araneta said they were also set to receive $150,000 for their share of the gate receipts during the semifinals of the AFF Suzuki Cup in Indonesia.
“Rest assured we will be transparent in our financial dealings,” said Araneta.
MANILA, Philippines -- Filipino-British brothers Phil and James Younghusband remain committed to the national football team despite reported interest from an Indonesian football club.
Even though they were not ruling out the possibility of playing abroad, the Younghusbands assured fans of their intention to focus on their work with the Azkals, who have been scheduled to see action in the AFC Challenge Cup next month, and on their Younghusband Football Academy.
“We’ve had interest from other clubs, but the national team and the football academy is our main focus,” Phil, the younger of the two brothers, said at the PSA Forum at the Shakey’s U.N. Avenue in Manila on Tuesday.
Jakarta 1928 FC, which is playing in the newly formed Indonesia Premiere League (LPI), is reportedly keen on having the Younghusband brothers in their squad.
Franco Lorenzo, a member of the management team of the Azkals, who is negotiating in the Younghusbands’ behalf, said Jakarta FC officials would arrive in the country Wednesday to finalize the deal.
Phil said the YFA’s program involved partnering with local governments and training teachers to become coaches within a limited facility.
“We believe football is a sport for the mass and football is accessible,” said Phil. “We want to promote football in the grassroots.”
The Younghusbands earned coaching badges during their time playing for the reserve team of Premiere League side Chelsea.
The YFA, which was established in January 2010, has lined up several clinics for the next two months starting on January 13 at the Multiple Intelligence International School in Katipunan.
The Younghusbands will also conduct “train the trainers” programs in Tarlac from January 20 to 21 as well as in Palawan from January 29 to 30 and in Taguig and Pateros from February 26 to 27.
“We realized that we can have an effect on football in a more positive way with our academy,” said James, who is older by 11 months.
The Younghusband brothers also joined the Azkals as they opened training camp for the AFC Challenge Cup qualifying series against Mongolia.
Reacting to the recent coaching change that saw German Hans Michael Weiss replacing Simon McMenemy, the Younghusbands said they welcomed the decision.
“We’re looking forward to working with the new coach and his new ideas,” said Phil.
“The new coach is from Germany and they did well in the World Cup,” James said.
“These are exciting times for Philippine football. For coach Simon, he still has a whole career ahead of him and we wish him the best.”
The new year is just 10 days old and the Philippine Football Federation wants a new direction for the Pinoy Azkals football team in 2011.
That new direction is expected to come from the head coach, which is why the PFF made a swift and decisive move by hiring a new German mentor in Hans Michael Weiss. He will replace English bench tactician Simon McMenemy, whose contract wasn’t renewed.
Newly-installed PFF president Nonong Araneta made the confirmation that Weiss is now the official head coach of the Azkals. He will arrive in the country on Jan. 16. The new head of the federation added that the McMenemy was replaced because he has no B license, which is a requirement to coach in the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup.
“Hindi siya (McMenemy) qualified to coach," said Araneta in a telephone interview. “That’s why we’re bringing in a new coach in Weiss. He has wide experience coaching football, as he has coached in China, Japan and countries in Africa."
The contract of McMenemy, who was hired to coach the Azkals on an interim basis three weeks prior to the start of the AFF Suzuki Cup, ended at the end of November, according to Azkals team manager Dan Palami.
“I extended his contract until the end of December. I was the one who was paying him," Palami told GMANews.TV. “But I already asked him before to work on his license."
When McMenemy couldn’t obtain his Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) coaching permit, and his contract ended at the end of 2010, Palami looked at several candidates for the coaching job, both foreign and local coaches.
It didn’t take long for him to tap Weiss' services.
Palami said that Philippine football will get a lift with the acquisition of the German mentor.
“It’s a total package. A lot of people think it’s the money involved which is the most important in getting the assistance, but it will be used via guided spending. We will be provided free training camps, all-expense paid. Coaches and referees will also be sent there for special courses and clinics ,while specialized trainers will also visit here to help our goalkeepers," added Palami.
McMenemy and the Azkals management parted ways bitterly, with the former coach bashing the team’s decision to replace him.
The English coach posted on his Twitter account that he was disrespected.
“I felt totally disrespected. No call, e-mail, text. Nothing. I have been told by a friend who watched it on TV. This is not the right way to treat people," said McMenemy on his Twitter account.
But Palami defended the decision, saying that when McMenemy tweeted, there was no formal decision yet regarding the coaching status.
“He should have confirmed it first with me. He posted comments on his Twitter account, so I just reacted to them," Palami explained.
Firing of Azkals coach draws negative impact, says FIFA exec
The firing of McMenemy as coach of the Azkals drew negative impact on the Azkals, according to former Philippine Olympic Committee and now International Football Federation (FIFA) executive Cristy Ramos.
“The timing is very bad," said Ramos. “In the first place, why would you hire somebody who has no Group B license, which is a requirement for the AFC Challenge Cup? I would presume the PFF, then under the leadership of Mari Martinez, was thinking na hanggang AFF Suzuki Cup na lang tayo because sa Suzuki Cup, hindi kailangan na may Group B license ang coach. They didn’t take full consideration about the future of Philippine football, and to me, that’s ignorance."
A former POC chief who is now serving in the organizing committee of the under-17 and under-20 Women’s World Cup, the former presidential daughter believes that having a new coach will somehow affect the Azkals’ preparation in the AFF Challenge Cup.
“Between now and February 9, I think the adjustment period will play a big role in the success of the Azkals," said Ramos. “I believe McMenemy had a good relationship with the players, especially with the success they had in the Suzuki Cup. How you try to establish a good relationship with your players at that shorter period of time is a big question."
Ramos, also a member of the AFC women’s committee and a match commissioner for men’s and women’s tournaments, gave a piece of her mind on how the PFF should have handled the situation dealing with McMenemy.
“Like the old saying, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. They should have made a compromise by retaining his services, say like retaining McMenemy’s services as a member of the coaching staff or as an assistant coach," said Ramos. “If I were them, I would have explored other possibilities. I don’t think he will take it bad because he will still be a part of the team, and McMenemy’s presence will leave a positive effect on the team."
But Palami believes there’s still enough time for the Azkals and the new coach to establish chemistry.
“We’ve done that before, so there’s no reason why we cannot do it again," added Palami. “We were able to succeed with a new coach preparing our squad three weeks before the competition, so I think it’s doable."
McMenemy was a substitute coach for Des Bulpin, who handled the squad for seven months.
Palami said people were giving a lot of credit to McMenemy, and the Azkals team manager believes he deserves recognition.
But the Azkals’ financer gave more importance to the things done by the local coaches, part of the reason why he cannot sacrifice the Filipino mentors, who have been training the players for quite a long time.
“I don’t think retaining McMenemy as a member of the coaching staff when there’s a head coach calling the shots would be a good idea. There will be clashes of ideas. And I don’t want to sacrifice my local coaches. They have done so much for the success of this team," said Palami.
MANILA—The national football team is seeking the guidance of the German Football Association (DFB) in an effort to strengthen the squad, which faces a busy year ahead.
Team manager Dan Palami is flying to Frankfurt on Jan. 3 to meet with German football officials and discuss areas of cooperation between the national team and the DFB.
“We will have exploratory talks on how the DFB can help our team,” Palami said.
Palami said he will try to look into the DFB database and search for quality players that have Filipino lineage.
The Azkals had two Filipino-German players who were part of the squad in the AFF Suzuki Cup, where they reached the semifinals for the first time.
Munich-based Manny Ott started in all three games in the AFF Suzuki Cup Qualifying Tournament in Laos, while Mark Drinkuth was part of the squad in the group stage in Vietnam. Both players did not join the team for the semifinals with Ott tied up because of academic commitments.
Palami said part of his initial itinerary was to meet with Filipino-German pros-pect Stephan Schrock to help him process his papers, but he ditched the plan because of the recent weather disturbance in Europe that could make it difficult for them to travel.
The best option for Schrock is to send his documents to Manila for his passport to be processed in time for the AFC Challenge Cup qualifying match against Mongolia on Feb. 9 in Bacolod City, Palami said.
The 24-year-old Schrock, who plays right fullback for Geuther Furth, has been regarded as an important player for next year’s campaign.
“He is one of the players we see that can really make an impact for the team because of his experience,” said Palami.
Schrock is set to join Greuther Furth in a training camp in Turkey next month, before joining the national team for the Challenge Cup.
If the Azkals hurdle Mongolia, they will join a group composed of Palestine, Myanmar and host Bangladesh that will play in Chittagong from March 20 to 31.
The Azkals are also seeing action in the qualifying tournament for the 2014 World Cup.
MANILA, Philippines — In and out of the ring, Manny Pacquiao continued to make headlines in 2010. He won two fights against bigger opponents and finally realized his political dream when he became representative of Saranggani in Congress.
But the top story of the year belongs to the Philippine football team, fondly known as the Azkals, for reaching the semifinals in the 2010 Suzuki Cup, an achievement without parallel.
Hereunder is 2010’s Top 10 Stories:
1. Azkals stun Vietnam in football
The Philippine football team overachieved this year, beating powerhouse Vietnam, 2-0, on its way to advancing into the semifinals of the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup for the first time.
Aside from toppling Vietnam in the eliminations, the Azkals drew with Singapore and Myanmar to earn the right to face Indonesia in the two-game knockout Round of 4.
Although they lost to Indonesia, 1-0, twice, the Azkals opened the eyes of many Filipinos that there is hope in football.
The Azkals became instant celebrities as corporate support began to pour for the team formed by businessman Dan Palami.
The shining feat came amid the leadership tug-of-war in the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) where Mari Martinez was ousted as president and was replaced by Mariano Araneta Jr. amid allegations of corruption.
FIFA eventually recognized Araneta’s election as PFF president after initially sticking with Martinez.
The Azkals’ feat was named as one of the top 10 football stories of the Sports Illustrated.
2. Pacquiao still unbeaten, becomes congressman
It was not only in boxing where Manny Pacquiao made his mark in 2010.
Pacquiao trounced Joshua Clottey of Ghana and Mexican superstar Antonio Margarito to extend his winning streak to 13 bouts, but he made more heads turn when he won a seat in Congress on his second try.
Not only did he complete an unprecedented world titles in eight weight classes, Pacquiao also transcended the sporting world in many ways, according to Yahoo columnist Kevin Iole.
“He has become the most beloved since Muhammad Ali, won a seat in the Philippine Congress, was featured popular profile show “60 Minutes” that had US President Barack Obama as opening act, became the inflight magazine cover story of American Airways, was chosen as endorser for Sen. Harry Reid’s re-election bid and has awaken the sleeping US boxing media.”
Pacquiao raised Sen. Reid’s hands during the campaign sorties in Las Vegas, helping the senator win by a margin of 40,000 despite trailing during the campaign period.
His demolition of Clottey last March was witnessed by 50,994 fans at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium – the biggest fight crowd in the US in 17 years.
Despite being outweighed by 17 pounds on fight night, Pacquiao turned Margarito into a bloody pulp to win his eighth world title.
3. The three kings from Asian Games
A boxer, a cue artist and a bowler saved the day for the Philippines in the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China held last November.
Bowler Biboy Rivera won the men’s singles title for the country’s first gold medal before pool maestro Dennis Orcollo defeated Warren Kiamco in the all-Filipino 9-ball men’s pool singles final.
Boxer Rey Saludar accounted for the third gold by whipping a game, but outclassed Chinese opponent in the final.
The 188-strong contingent also won three silvers and seven bronzes.
4. Three in a row for the Ateneo Blue Eagles
The Ateneo Blue Eagles completed a rare “three-peat” in the UAAP cage wars despite the absence of key players.
Even without Jai Reyes, big men Rabeh Al Hussaini and Nonoy Baclao, the Eagles clawed their way back to the summit by sweeping title favorite Far Eastern University in the best-of-three finals.
Countless heroes rose from the shadows in helping Ateneo clinch its sixth title overall since 1978, but none perhaps more brilliant than Ryan Buenafe, who knocked down the biggest shots in last victory of Season 73 – a 65-62 win over the Tamaraws before a crowd of 17,215.
The championship series featured a bevy of subplots with the Eagles coming out with a surprise 72-49 blowout win in Game 1 despite missing the suspended Jimbo Escueta.
Four days after the defeat, Glenn Capacio resigned as FEU coach, disappointed over the fate of his team, which topped the eliminations with a 12-2 card.
Ateneo capped the remarkable year by defending its title in the Philippine Collegiate Champions League.
5. Donaire wins WBA bantamweight interim title
Nonito Donaire continued his quest for more glory by stopping Ukrainian Wladimiro Sidorenko in the fourth round to capture the WBA bantamweight interim title in California early this month.
More than the championship, the victory gave Donaire the opportunity to challenge Fernando Montiel on Feb. 19, something that the Filipino Flash has long been craving for.
Donaire was so bent on facing the Mexican WBO/WBC kingpin that he moved up in weight to find him.
With the victory, Donaire, 28, a former world flyweight champion, extended his win streak to 24 fights over 9 1/2 years, improving to 25-1 with his 17th early stoppage.
It was Donaire’s third victory this year, having beaten Manuel Vargas in the third round on Feb. 13 to retain the WBA super flyweight crown and knocked out Hernan “Tyson” Marquez in the eighth on July 10.
