Caligdong: A knack for delivering in crucial moments
WITH the way some of the questions were thrown, it seems a few members of the press assumed Emelio Caligdong’s first goal against Mongolia in the AFC Challenge Cup match was his first, ever.
“Hindi naman po yun ang first international goal ko,” I think I heard Caligdong say while I was writing my story.
The 5’5” winger, who had to say to an anchor in a later interview that he controlled the ball with his chest first to explain why the ball seemed to “bounce off him,” has a knack of delivering big for the Azkals.
And nothing was ever bigger than in Dec. 16, 2004, in the Philippines third game in the then Tiger Cup in Kuala Lumpur.
Grouped with Myanmar, Malaysia, Timor Leste and Thailand, the Philippines was to face the newest members, Timor Leste, in the third game after racking up two losses.
The first, a painful one, came against Myanmar, when the Azkals conceded an injury time goal to lose, 1-0. The second was against the host, 4-1, when Michael Casas stopped a penalty before conceding three goals in the second half.
The game against Timor Leste proved to be the turning point for Philippine football, as the squad scored its first win in the history of the tournament—and the first since the 1991 Southeast Asian Games. It was also the first win in international soil since a 4-1 win over Brunei in 1985.
But they had to scramble for it.
East Timor got ahead thanks to Januario Do Rego in the 59th and then coach Aries Caslib brought in Caligdong to replace Ariel Zerrudo to pair with Alexander Borromeo, then playing as striker. (Borromeo has played keeper, striker and defender in various national squads).
The move worked as Caligdong equalized in the 90th minute and scored the go ahead goal in the 93rd.
That team was called the best in recent years (the same tag the 2005 Seag, 06, 08 and present Azkals will get).
“We were able to play decently, it is a remarkable improvement and totally different from the previous teams, ngayon lang siya (then PFF president Johnny Romualdez) nakakita ng team na willing magpakamatay,” Caslib said.
“We have a historical problem of crumbling in the last 15 minutes. The present line-up seems to have been affected by this same problem but I believe we are improving and can do better.”
Seven years later, Caslib’s words are proven to be prophetic.
“Hindi naman po yun ang first international goal ko,” I think I heard Caligdong say while I was writing my story.
The 5’5” winger, who had to say to an anchor in a later interview that he controlled the ball with his chest first to explain why the ball seemed to “bounce off him,” has a knack of delivering big for the Azkals.
And nothing was ever bigger than in Dec. 16, 2004, in the Philippines third game in the then Tiger Cup in Kuala Lumpur.
Grouped with Myanmar, Malaysia, Timor Leste and Thailand, the Philippines was to face the newest members, Timor Leste, in the third game after racking up two losses.
The first, a painful one, came against Myanmar, when the Azkals conceded an injury time goal to lose, 1-0. The second was against the host, 4-1, when Michael Casas stopped a penalty before conceding three goals in the second half.
The game against Timor Leste proved to be the turning point for Philippine football, as the squad scored its first win in the history of the tournament—and the first since the 1991 Southeast Asian Games. It was also the first win in international soil since a 4-1 win over Brunei in 1985.
But they had to scramble for it.
East Timor got ahead thanks to Januario Do Rego in the 59th and then coach Aries Caslib brought in Caligdong to replace Ariel Zerrudo to pair with Alexander Borromeo, then playing as striker. (Borromeo has played keeper, striker and defender in various national squads).
The move worked as Caligdong equalized in the 90th minute and scored the go ahead goal in the 93rd.
That team was called the best in recent years (the same tag the 2005 Seag, 06, 08 and present Azkals will get).
“We were able to play decently, it is a remarkable improvement and totally different from the previous teams, ngayon lang siya (then PFF president Johnny Romualdez) nakakita ng team na willing magpakamatay,” Caslib said.
“We have a historical problem of crumbling in the last 15 minutes. The present line-up seems to have been affected by this same problem but I believe we are improving and can do better.”
Seven years later, Caslib’s words are proven to be prophetic.
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