Chieffy once again comes through for Azkals
The Philippine Azkals dominated possession for most of the match but had to settle for a 2-nil win over Macau to end their campaign in the Long Teng Cup in Kaohsiung, Taiwan with one win and two draws. Ace striker Chieffy Caligdong scored both goals for the Philippines in another dazzling performance that earned him the best goal scorer award for the tournament.
The result gave the Azkals five points in three matches, good enough for second place behind Hong Kong, which blasted host Chinese Taipei, 6-0, to claim first place and the title. The Taiwanese finished third with four points on a win, a draw, and a loss, while Macau brought up the rear with no points and three losses.
The Azkals controlled the match from the onset, but Macau managed to keep the match scoreless until the halftime whistle. Ian Araneta had the best chance of the half in the 27th minute after he fielded a pass from the left flank from Jeff Christiaens, but the Air Force striker's shot was parried away by the Macau goalkeeper.
Macau also had a good chance to get on the scoreboard in the 40th minute when team captain Leong Ka Hang took a through ball into the box, but his shot hit the crossbar.
The complexion of the Azkals' offense changed dramatically when Caligdong came in as a substitute for Oliver Poetschke at the start of the second half. The Air Force mainstay, who had to be taken out of the Azkals' match against Chinese Taipei after suffering a leg injury, immediately made his presence felt with a shot from within the penalty box that hit the post in the 47th minute.
The Azkals kept pressing, and Caligdong finally broke the ice in the 58th minute with a goal off a free kick by Mark Hartmann. The Macau keeper actually blocked Caligdong's first attempt, but Caligdong tapped the ball in as the keeper was still sprawled on the pitch.
Caligdong completed a brace with a one-touch strike from around 10 yards in the 87th minute off another assist from Hartmann. The goal was the Barotac Nuevo native's fourth for the tournament, after he scored two in the Azkals' 3-3 draw with Hong Kong, to emerge the best goal scorer. Sham Kwok Keung and Wong Chin Hung both scored two apiece for Hong Kong.
Leong nearly pulled one back for Macau with a strike from just within the penalty box in the 90th minute, but Azkals keeper Roland Mueller, who acquitted himself very well in the tournament, blocked the shot with a brilliant save.
A minute into injury time, Caligdong nearly had a hat trick when a cross from Phil Younghusband found its way near the mouth of the Macau goal with the keeper out of position. But he struck the ball too hard and sent it sailing harmlessly over the crossbar.
The Azkals had more shots, 27-8, and shots on goal, 10-3, and controlled possession 67% of the time, but were unable to capitalize on several opportunities to increase their lead.
The team used this tournament to get exposure for members of the under-23 team that will compete in the 26th Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia. Mueller, Christiaens, the Hartmann siblings Mark and Matthew, Neckson Leonora, and Carlos Alberto Martinez De Murga were among the under-23 team bets who got significant exposure.
From Taiwan, the Azkals fly to Singapore for an international friendly on October 7. After that it's another friendly against Nepal on October 11 at the Rizal Stadium.
