For 1st time, PHL football team advances in World Cup qualifiers

The Philippines has, for the first time in its football history, won a FIFA World Cup qualifying playoff match. Advancing to Round 2 of the Asian playoffs, the men's national football team will face a higher-ranked team in a very different, Middle Eastern climate, unlike the rain-drenched match they just had. "We will play different football... given the hot conditions the goal is to not waste energy," coach Michael Weiss said in the post-match news conference. The Philippine team's next foe, Kuwait, is a regional football heavyweight having been champion of the Gulf Cup of Nations ten times. Weiss said he will wait for official confirmation on whether team captain Aly Borromeo can play in the next game despite getting two yellow cards. "We are Azkals. We are used to difficult situations," Weiss said when asked on what adjustments he will make if Borromeo will be barred from playing in the away game on July 23 in Kuwait. The home game will be on July 28 at the Rizal Stadium. Borromeo said the team won because they achieved their goal of "setting the tempo of the game." He also thanked the fans for their support. Coach Weiss credited Emelio "Chieffy" Caligdong for "smartly dribbling the ball" so he could seize the opportunity to make the first goal that sparked the 4 - nil beating of Sri Lanka before 12,870 spectators in the stands and about 3,000 personnel involved on the organizers' side. Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Mariano Araneta said the team will have the opportunity to further improve their cohesion during their training camp in Bahrain, where the Azkals will have two friendly matches before they meet Kuwait's national team. Weiss noted however that the Azkals will be without its top players in Bahrain, so the training stint there will be for the reserve players, to prepare them for whenever they must be fielded. Weiss said the Gulf countries play technically well and have good developmental programs. He explained that the matches in that region of the world will "give the team the exposure they need." The Azkals coach again urged the public to appreciate that building a top-caliber team takes time. "The country has to be patient." He is concerned that the historic victory will create high expectations from a team that is still in its developmental stage. Weiss said he is looking ahead to and preparing for the Southeast Asian Games this November, the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup, and still further again to the Asian Cup. "Patience. We will do this step by step, slowly by slowly," Weiss said. -- OMG/JVP/HS, GMA News