Myanmar vs. Azkals analysis
THE Azkals were clearly groping for form early in the match, resulting to a lot of confusion and miscommunication.
Was it #Azkals or was it #AZKALS?
Then, the first shot from Craig Burrows resulted to a third-minute save by Neil Etheridge, who would play a key role in the world stage later in the half.
Stuck in their lousy formation in the first half and clearly lacking coordination, the Azkals sent a few Hail Marys to the heaven but the goal never came. The TV coverage didn’t, too.
Then, unbelievably, they scored! Right during the half-time break!
“Yehey, Azkals score! My neighbor saw it!” my co-analyst, Beigh Noang Neigh, said.
But he later corrected himself, “Sorry, I meant to say I saw my neighbor score. Sorry.”
During halftime, a group of well-dressed Pinoys and Pinays were seen arguing incessantly on TV and I think they pitied the fans since they were all talking about “Merci this and Merci that.” I think they were also looking for a glorious goal because “Gloria,” was mentioned now and then.
In the second half, there was better coordination but because of intermittent signals from Myanmar, our star strikers Craig Burrows and Roy Moore couldn’t be included in the subsequent plays.
“It’s a goal, is it?” Somebody asked when he heard a scream. It turned out to be a false alarm, some guys were beating each other senseless and the cops were screaming.
Then something weird happened.
In an earthquake-shattering goal, an earthquake in Manila led to Yanti Barsales being redcarded and the Myanmar keeper scoring a goal on James Younghusband.
Later, it the truth started coming out.
According to the twitterhood gossip, "After the confusion, Barsales, who is Angel’s Lolo (but not Phil Jamesyounghusband’s Angel), got groped daw by the keeper and he kinda fell so the ref sort of gave na lang the penalty to James and he's really cuter than Phil, di ba?"
We scored! And it was true! That 0-0 score in that livescoring website turned 0-1 and scores of Azkals who were stuck in the office got a few “Are-you-nuts-stare,” when they started screaming!
“What’s happening? Naunsa mo?” Our managing editor told me after a very loud, “YES!!!”
Then full time, the game ended, the Philippines finally beat Myanmar! Congratulatory messages flooded facebook and twitter.
Then a glitch, it said, 1-1.
Somehow Myanmar scored after the final whistle, somehow the Junta bought an extra added minute. It couldn’t be.
But, the Azkals will take it. 1-1 is two goals better than 0-0, therefore the Azkals have clearly improved.
What was obvious too, in the second half, was the better fingers for Neil Etheridge, who overtook Azkals in the trend for Twitter. So, it must be easier to type Neil Etheridge than the six-letter word Azkals.
As to the officiating. Well, what can you expect? There were two assistant referees who ran on each side of the pitch and one center referee and a fourth official. I suspect, but I can’t be sure, the center ref had a whistle that he rarely used to the fans’ disappointment.
Still, the first game is done, on to Palestine this Wednesday, and here’s hoping the Azkals will be better coordinated this time.
A score here and there, for all the Azkals, wouldn’t be too bad, too.
And what would really be better?
A freakin' live telecast!!!
Was it #Azkals or was it #AZKALS?
Then, the first shot from Craig Burrows resulted to a third-minute save by Neil Etheridge, who would play a key role in the world stage later in the half.
Stuck in their lousy formation in the first half and clearly lacking coordination, the Azkals sent a few Hail Marys to the heaven but the goal never came. The TV coverage didn’t, too.
Then, unbelievably, they scored! Right during the half-time break!
“Yehey, Azkals score! My neighbor saw it!” my co-analyst, Beigh Noang Neigh, said.
But he later corrected himself, “Sorry, I meant to say I saw my neighbor score. Sorry.”
During halftime, a group of well-dressed Pinoys and Pinays were seen arguing incessantly on TV and I think they pitied the fans since they were all talking about “Merci this and Merci that.” I think they were also looking for a glorious goal because “Gloria,” was mentioned now and then.
In the second half, there was better coordination but because of intermittent signals from Myanmar, our star strikers Craig Burrows and Roy Moore couldn’t be included in the subsequent plays.
“It’s a goal, is it?” Somebody asked when he heard a scream. It turned out to be a false alarm, some guys were beating each other senseless and the cops were screaming.
Then something weird happened.
In an earthquake-shattering goal, an earthquake in Manila led to Yanti Barsales being redcarded and the Myanmar keeper scoring a goal on James Younghusband.
Later, it the truth started coming out.
According to the twitterhood gossip, "After the confusion, Barsales, who is Angel’s Lolo (but not Phil Jamesyounghusband’s Angel), got groped daw by the keeper and he kinda fell so the ref sort of gave na lang the penalty to James and he's really cuter than Phil, di ba?"
We scored! And it was true! That 0-0 score in that livescoring website turned 0-1 and scores of Azkals who were stuck in the office got a few “Are-you-nuts-stare,” when they started screaming!
“What’s happening? Naunsa mo?” Our managing editor told me after a very loud, “YES!!!”
Then full time, the game ended, the Philippines finally beat Myanmar! Congratulatory messages flooded facebook and twitter.
Then a glitch, it said, 1-1.
Somehow Myanmar scored after the final whistle, somehow the Junta bought an extra added minute. It couldn’t be.
But, the Azkals will take it. 1-1 is two goals better than 0-0, therefore the Azkals have clearly improved.
What was obvious too, in the second half, was the better fingers for Neil Etheridge, who overtook Azkals in the trend for Twitter. So, it must be easier to type Neil Etheridge than the six-letter word Azkals.
As to the officiating. Well, what can you expect? There were two assistant referees who ran on each side of the pitch and one center referee and a fourth official. I suspect, but I can’t be sure, the center ref had a whistle that he rarely used to the fans’ disappointment.
Still, the first game is done, on to Palestine this Wednesday, and here’s hoping the Azkals will be better coordinated this time.
A score here and there, for all the Azkals, wouldn’t be too bad, too.
And what would really be better?
A freakin' live telecast!!!
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