Fair Play: Playing the game of their lives
SHOWING a resiliency their team wasn’t known for, a squad of rag-tag players known for being a doormat of football in the region, surprised everybody by playing with all they have when they had nothing to play for.
It was their third of four games in a tournament so often ignored that it was set to lose its major sponsor. But it was a game, and they were playing for the country, and they were tired of people asking not if they’d win, but by how many goals they will lose.
Against East Timor, it was also the best chance for the Philippines to end a 13-year winless streak in international football, and win they did, in spectacular fashion. After trailing in the 59th, Emilio Caligdong scored the equalizer in the 90th and the go-ahead goal three minutes into injury time.
That day, Dec. 15, 2004, in the Tiger Cup, forever marked the turning point of Philippine football—we were no longer known as a team content to stop the opposition from piling up the goals, we were a team, out to win a match.
Those same players figured in another epic match two years and a month later, in the AFF Championships—the same tournament minus its main sponsor.
After losing its captain in its first game, and dropping its first two matches, 4-0, the Philippines had nothing to play for against Myanmar in its last game.
But they were no longer the same Philippine team of old. A win, which their foes were expected to get easily, would put Myanmar to the semis.
They never got it.
The Azkals—so named because football survives, despite the ineptness of its officials and the lack of support—were only playing for pride and they played with pride.
They held Myanmar to a scoreless draw, making sure the Philippines won’t end its campaign without scoring a single point.
They celebrated like crazy, while Myanmar walked off the field, unsure what hit them.
AFF’s dispatch said it all, “Football’s unpredictability upset pre-match expectations and fancied Myanmar was stalled in their semifinal quest by football minnows Philippines.”
Such unpredictability—of the underdog beating the favorite—has been highlighted again in the World Cup, when Switzerland beat Spain, a team it has lost to in 19 straight matches.
I know some fans ask how the Philippine football team is faring.
Well, the answer is, like its name, the RP team is left to fend for itself on the streets, with no home, no playground to run in.
We didn’t join the qualifiers for the World Cup, we didn’t join the SEA Games and, I learned recently, we’re not going to join the Olympic qualifiers.
Why, I don’t know.
Is it lack of money as they always say?
Well, Fifa’s Sepp Blatter just announced a $200,000 kitty to all national football associations since the world body is in such a sound financial state. That amount is on top the annual fund Fifa gives to its members.
Why it won’t be used for the campaign of the RP team is beyond me.
Trying to understand why the PFF does things is an exercise in futility.
Would we have failed had we joined? Yes, that much is sure.
But, as was shown in those two games, we would have gone out with guns blazing.
Back in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games, when we almost made the semifinal round, the coaches of the other teams agreed on one thing—they were seeing a different RP team.
It was the same sentiment, a year later, when we hosted the AFF qualifying round and finished second in the group.
RP, which hosted the first international game in Asia, was back in the game.
Then 2007 happened and poof, we were back to square one.
Football officials always say football can never be a success in this country because fans don’t support it.
It’s true, yes. But what they don’t see is that fans don’t support the sport because the officials, also, don’t support it.
It was their third of four games in a tournament so often ignored that it was set to lose its major sponsor. But it was a game, and they were playing for the country, and they were tired of people asking not if they’d win, but by how many goals they will lose.
Against East Timor, it was also the best chance for the Philippines to end a 13-year winless streak in international football, and win they did, in spectacular fashion. After trailing in the 59th, Emilio Caligdong scored the equalizer in the 90th and the go-ahead goal three minutes into injury time.
That day, Dec. 15, 2004, in the Tiger Cup, forever marked the turning point of Philippine football—we were no longer known as a team content to stop the opposition from piling up the goals, we were a team, out to win a match.
Those same players figured in another epic match two years and a month later, in the AFF Championships—the same tournament minus its main sponsor.
After losing its captain in its first game, and dropping its first two matches, 4-0, the Philippines had nothing to play for against Myanmar in its last game.
But they were no longer the same Philippine team of old. A win, which their foes were expected to get easily, would put Myanmar to the semis.
They never got it.
The Azkals—so named because football survives, despite the ineptness of its officials and the lack of support—were only playing for pride and they played with pride.
They held Myanmar to a scoreless draw, making sure the Philippines won’t end its campaign without scoring a single point.
They celebrated like crazy, while Myanmar walked off the field, unsure what hit them.
AFF’s dispatch said it all, “Football’s unpredictability upset pre-match expectations and fancied Myanmar was stalled in their semifinal quest by football minnows Philippines.”
Such unpredictability—of the underdog beating the favorite—has been highlighted again in the World Cup, when Switzerland beat Spain, a team it has lost to in 19 straight matches.
I know some fans ask how the Philippine football team is faring.
Well, the answer is, like its name, the RP team is left to fend for itself on the streets, with no home, no playground to run in.
We didn’t join the qualifiers for the World Cup, we didn’t join the SEA Games and, I learned recently, we’re not going to join the Olympic qualifiers.
Why, I don’t know.
Is it lack of money as they always say?
Well, Fifa’s Sepp Blatter just announced a $200,000 kitty to all national football associations since the world body is in such a sound financial state. That amount is on top the annual fund Fifa gives to its members.
Why it won’t be used for the campaign of the RP team is beyond me.
Trying to understand why the PFF does things is an exercise in futility.
Would we have failed had we joined? Yes, that much is sure.
But, as was shown in those two games, we would have gone out with guns blazing.
Back in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games, when we almost made the semifinal round, the coaches of the other teams agreed on one thing—they were seeing a different RP team.
It was the same sentiment, a year later, when we hosted the AFF qualifying round and finished second in the group.
RP, which hosted the first international game in Asia, was back in the game.
Then 2007 happened and poof, we were back to square one.
Football officials always say football can never be a success in this country because fans don’t support it.
It’s true, yes. But what they don’t see is that fans don’t support the sport because the officials, also, don’t support it.
Comments
Keep writing. :)