2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifier -- Playing Footsie
12:18 PMI am an Azkal Football fan!
Why?! Because... Uuuhhmmm... Uuurrgghh! Who wouldn't be?! With those pretty little faces, gorgeously devastating, oohhh and their superbly-undeniably sexy bodies (if I didn't know how rigorous their training are, I would have think that their bodies are perfectly photoshop-ed! hihihi!), and those underdog victories against the giant team of the sport (uhhmm am i hearing violent reactions from Ms. Saigon?!) Ooohhh yes, I totally gave in! I am crazily in-love with Philippine Azkals.
After hitting the Philippine Island by storm late last year, our country played host on a qualifying games for AFC Challenge Cup 2012. The crowd gone wild, wilder, wildest and the Azkals sustained their popularity. (I'm in the wildest category! :D) Until the 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Games started, although we are one of the newbies getting on with the fierce teams of the world, I heard the Azkals confidently said "we will fight with our hearts!" and Filipino fans said "Game on!".
Round One PHL Azkals vs Sri Lanka Brave Reds
It was definitely a breeze, there are some hurdles but never did I doubt that they will overcome their opponent. Well, thank you for some sports analyst who enlightened most of us how feasible a win was. Applause! Applause!
Round Two PHL Azkals vs Kuwait Al Azraq (First Leg)
After a tremendous defense in the first half, unfortunately they took the game with 3 goals and none for us.
After a tremendous defense in the first half, unfortunately they took the game with 3 goals and none for us.
Although heartbreaking, one must move on, next -- Second Leg (Home Game). All right so what else can a die hard do for their loving idols, WATCH AND SUPPORT THEIR GAME LIVE!
Thank you so much to a friend-friend's working at Smart Telecommunication. I haven't experience the hassle of long queue to acquire tickets. On the game day, i planned to pull a sickie but i chose the other way around to avoid problems on the following day. I worked early as 5am to get out the office, just in time to prepare for the game. Armed with my love for the boys, and voice to cheer my heart out, off i go to meet my football buddy.
I share this craze with Alice, not of wonderland but Alice, a colleague. We both arrived in our meeting place and leave immediately in the nick of time. Suddenly the rain poured after we get on to a bus. Going to Rizal stadium is easy, really!!! aside from the cab :D all you have to do is to get on to an LRT and get off at Vito Cruz station. From Vito Cruz station you'll find a long queue of pedicabs which will take you to Rizal Stadium or other nearby places . Easy as that! No need for GPS! *winks* But before we proceed to Rizal we decided to drop by to nearby mall, after several hours, we had bought shoes, shirt and raincoat... all for the love of Azkals! sounds obsessed huh?! what I meant is we bought those stuff so we can be all comfy and jolly while watching and cheering... uhhmm something like that! hehehe!
We got on our seat, 30 minutes before kick off. As we entered the stadium, we were welcomed by the sound of the Azkaleros non-stop chant, heart thumping beat of their innovative drums (the blue container mineral water) and the boys doing their warm up. I was a bit late from my schedule, that I decided to forget my first-ever-game-face-paint, just to be safe that I wont miss any minute of the game.
The stadium is full packed. I look everywhere and people are smiling, with high hopes, together with their family, some are with their friends, i spotted several couples too while in our case colleagues-friends-batchmate. All of us on the bleachers are on our feet, witnessing biggest opponent so far for the PHL Azkals.
Kuwait has been in ASIAN cup finals nine times, beat Saudi Arabia, Iraq and other poweful football country. Football is a big thing in Kuwait, it's like their national sport. So being a country of hoops, i mean basketball, Al Azraq is a big challenge, it's more like playing to check the limit or the standing of the team, in terms of playing good footsie, something international, with the fierce team of world.
The game was so intense, compared to "away game", there are a lot of opportunities to score, ball handling is much better and uhhhmmm crowd are much wilder (home game eh?! ehehe!). Emotions are up and shaky in the stadium, we're cheering the players name and chanting nonstop, everyone is sooo positive to get a goal. We also do the rain dance, to shoo the not-used-to-rain-kuwaitis and the sky poured kittens and puppies, super sweet rain (the rain dance works *winks*).
Until the 48th minute marked, just before half time, a beautiful goal from the man, SHROCKY baby!
Shrocky shocks and rocks the crowd after that awesome goal. The endless cheering made me teary eyed. I felt goosebumps all over me. Then I realized it's more than just their cute faces, it's me doing the clapping and azkals chant, and standing under the pouring rain, because I'm proud of my skin and, indeed, I am a Filipino! These guys playing on the field with half-half breed, telling everybody that they're Filipinos with their brit or american accent or other language... arte pa ba ko?! hahaha!
Azkals lose by 2 points plus the fact that I'm soaking wet but with Shrocky's goal it holds a big promise, that Filipinos can excel too in the said sport! Maybe not today but we are very talented team and soon "World Cup", soon!
So Spain, remember the name... PHILIPPINE AZKALS! :D
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