Wounded by their heartbreaking semifinal loss to Turkmenistan, the Philippine men’s football team Azkals played their hearts out and won against Palestine, 4-3, yesterday to take home the third place honors in the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup played at Kathmandu, Nepal.

Registering their best finish since joining the tournament, the Philippine side played without No. 1 keeper Neil Etheridge, who was issued a red card during the Philippine vs. Turkmenistan game.

Tapped to take his place was Negrense Ed Sacapano, whose great saves in the first half limited Palestine to one goal against the Philippines’ three.

Telling members of the media that they will be treating the match like a final, coach Michael Weiss started with Sacapano. Charli De Murga, Rob Gier, Jason Sabio, Ray Jonsson, Juani and Angel Guirado, Paul Mulders, James and Phil Younghusband, and Chieffy Caligdong.

Phil Younghusband opened the game with a goal in the 4th minute, his fifth in the tournament, after taking a pass from Caligdong who easily got through the Palestine defense.

Just as determined to win the match for third place, the Palestine side found a hole in the Azkals in the 21st minute and scored the equalizer courtesy of Abudalhamid Abuhabib.

Quick to react, Caligdong drew a foul in transition and allowed Phil Younghusband to take the penalty which he hammered into the right side of Palestine keeper Ramzi for Azkals’ second goal.

Undaunted, Palestine kept on attacking and denied the Philippines several chances to score, until the 41st minute when Angel Guirado broke away with the team’s third goal for a 3-1 advantage at halftime.

Slowing down in the middle of the second half, the Azkals failed to stop Abuhabbib from scoring his second goal.

Gettting back their bearings, the Filipinos countered with one-touch moves that allowed Juani Guirado to score the team’s fourth goal for a 4-2 lead.

Another defensive lapse, however, cost the Philippines a goal from Palestine. Abuhabbib went for a hattrick in the 82nd minute but Sacapano reached out to deflect the ball to keep the Azkals head with one goal.

As the match entered its final minutes, Palestine kept on putting the pressure on the Azkals but the latter managed to hang on until the final whistle for the 4-3 win.*NAB

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