Stalemate
mdagdag@theguidon.com
Flashback to December 5, 2010: the referee blows the final whistle, and the Philippines wins over Vietnam, 2-0.
Through goals from Chris Greatwich and Phil Younghusband, the Philippine men’s football team left the home crowd stunned as they defeated the defending AFF Suzuki Cup champions. The team would go on to claim second spot in Group B, booking a semifinal spot against Indonesia.
I remember watching the Vietnam game with a few friends on cable TV. At that time, very little was known of the Philippines’ football team, the Azkals, and as such, local channels wouldn’t televise their matches.
Immediately after defeating the Southeast Asian powerhouse, the Azkals gained a drastic increase in their fan base. People started backing the team up, talking about how they could go on and win the AFF Suzuki Cup. However, the story would not have the best of endings as the Azkals would fall 1-0 to Indonesia on both legs of their semifinal matchup.
Despite the loss, however, Filipino fans were still ecstatic with the team’s performance—it showed that there was hope in the future of Philippine football. This can be compared to the success of the 1991 SEA Games football contingent. As sports blogger Bob Guerrero points out, after the Philippines upset Malaysia with a 1-0 win, the crowd went crazy. But sadly, the victory did nothing much to promote the development of the sport in the country.
The 2010 victory, however, was a different story. Ever since that tournament, the popularity of the sport in the Philippines skyrocketed. Fast forward to 2012, more and more people are getting into the sport, either as players or as fans. From being a relatively ignored sport compared to basketball, the world’s most famous sport is now being embraced by Filipinos as well.
The meteoric rise of the popularity of football in the Philippines can be seen through the heavy media coverage of everything football-related. Studio 23 started televising the Azkals’ games along with AKTV, which also aired United Football League games as well as select games from the top European leagues. Cable TV also picked up coverage, with Balls Channel airing Europe’s top club competition, the UEFA Champions League.
One story highlighted by the media is that of Sandro Reyes, a nine-year-old standout from Southridge. After an impressive performance at a football clinic, he was invited to try out for FC Barcelona Escola, the youth academy for the European giants. At his age, he possesses exceptional dribbling and passing skills, as well as an eye for goal—reminiscent of the skill set of the world’s best players. Without discounting the hard work and effort Reyes put into improving his game, this is a testament to the potential Filipinos have in football.
Like in the 1991 SEA Games victory, the Azkals recently snatched a win over a regional powerhouse. With five minutes to go, Chieffy Caligdong scored a late winner to lift the Philippines over Vietnam in this year’s AFF Suzuki Cup. With their last victory over the Red Warriors sparking a football frenzy anew, it won’t be a surprise if these exciting trends in Philippine football continue.
From being once the “doormats” of regional football, the Philippines may be on its way to being a football powerhouse in the years to come.
