The Azkals lost 2-1 to the Mongolian Blue Wolves. But by virtue of having scored more goals in the series, the Philippine Azkals will advance to the next stage of the AFC Challenge Cup.The Philippines will meet Myanmar, Bangladesh and Palestine where the top two teams after a single round robin will advance to the 2012 Challenge Cup.
What the Azkals clearly showed in its defeat to the Blue Wolves is its vulnerability as a team. The Azkals lost to a team ranked 182 in the world. When it should have beaten the Blue Wolves handily, the Azkals looked so unskilled to go down in defeat in Ulan Bator. Luckily, the Azkals scored enough goals to enable them to advance to the next round.
For the longest time, I have been telling everyone to stop patronizing the Azkals for their mediocrity and obsession with the media. Perhaps, with the shameful defeat of the Azkals in Ulan Bator, media can now paint the Azkals as the true mediocre athletes that they are. Only then will the Azkals realize the need to improve and become better athletes. Hopefully, the Azkals will become less preoccupied with looking great in front of the camera and making numerous television guestings that make them appear and behave like movie stars. After all, they are football players and not showbiz personalities. They belong in the football field and not in the studios.
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