Philippine Azkals satisfied despite losing Dubai football friendly. Philippine Azkals show good form in Dubai despite losing football match against Azerbaijan. See more at: http://gulfnews.com/gntv
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Azerbaijan handed the lower-ranked Philippines a 1-0 decision in an international football
00:16friendly at Al-Shabaab Stadium in Dubai, but the Filipinos went on feeling victorious despite
00:20the setback.
00:21We were actually even more dominant than I expected, we even had more chances than them
00:28and I think that bodes well for the team in the future and tonight we were able to
00:33show our hosts and Azerbaijan how it is like to fight like a Filipino and to fight like
00:41an Ascals.
00:42Including the Philippines' commendable scoreless draw with Malaysia last week, the Dubai friendly
00:46was only the team's second match under new coach Thomas Dooley.
00:49I love it, I mean it's the first time I was in the Philippines, people are very friendly,
00:53very nice, very honest, very humble, they showed dignity today in the beginning before
00:59I signed with them, I said this team can go far, we've worked only for two weeks together
01:03now so I'm very, very happy that they actually fulfilled my thoughts about how we want to
01:08play.
01:09Give him a high grade, an outstanding grade for giving us, for letting us play the kind
01:15of game that we have right now.
01:16The six sessions that he has had with the team has given us this kind of game, there's
01:22still a lot to be done but what's important is that we're on the right track and we're
01:26taking big steps for our preparations for the Challenge Cup in May.
01:29Coach is, well, his playing career is very impressive and he's come in and he's shown
01:35how professional Philippine football should be and he's setting the team and we're playing
01:39more football now so I think there's more exciting things to come with the new coach.
01:43The Filipinos were more aggressive in the second half, creating dangerous opportunities
01:47from close range.
01:48Crowd favourite Phil Younghusband had at least three chances to equalise.
01:52I had two or three attempts, unfortunately they didn't go in, well hopefully I can score
01:55the next game but it was, we had a good try and unfortunately we couldn't score but maybe
02:00next time.
02:01A consistent top goal scorer for the Philippines, Younghusband had some anxious moments just
02:06after the break when he went down clutching his right ankle.
02:09A minute later, he had the team's first clear shot at the goal but it went straight into
02:13the keeper's hands.
02:14The Philippine team will also play training matches in Qatar next month as part of their
02:18preparations for the Asian Challenge Cup in May.
02:21We'd like to invite everybody on April 11th, we have a game in Qatar against Nepal and
02:29then on the 14th also in Qatar against Al-Ali Football Club there.
02:33So we will be having a short training camp in Qatar and from Qatar we go back to the
02:39Philippines and in May we will be in Bahrain.
02:41A lean but passionate crowd gathered for the friendly, although it was the Philippine
02:45side that was mobbed by fans after the match.
02:49Giovanni Tabada for Golf News.