Weiss can’t get near his Azkals bench in Game 2
By Cedelf P. TupasPhilippine Daily Inquirer
BANGKOK—Philippines coach Michael Weiss will be barred from the technical area for his team’s clash with Vietnam on Tuesday in the aftermath of his dismissal in the 1-2 loss to Thailand at the start of Group A play in the AFF Suzuki Cup here.
Weiss was sent to the stands in the 80th minute after nonchalantly throwing the ball at the fallen Thai player Anucha Kitpongsri, who went down after an aerial battle with leftback Dennis Cagara.
Weiss insisted he was merely trying “to roll the ball” to the spot so play could start immediately as the Azkals were trying to rally from a goal down.
“It was not intentional,” said Weiss, who was penalized after his squad just cut the deficit to 1-2 in the 77th minute.
Warned several times for resenting calls and noncalls earlier, Weiss finally got the goat of Japanese referee Ryuji Sato, who banished him to the bleachers for what the official deemed was a misconduct.
It was a bruising encounter as the Thais gamely turned the physicality of the game up a notch with some rough challenges.
“I think the officiating is a bit too much pro-Thai,” said Weiss, who will be confined to the bleachers again and barred from the Azkals’ dugout in the Vietnam match.
“There were times when the Thais were a little naughty when it came to the physical play,” said defender Rob Gier.
One elbow that Weiss felt should have gotten more than a yellow card was the one thrown by Thai superstar Teerasil Dangda in the 65th minute.
Dangda elbowed Juani Guirado, but got away with just a booking while leaving the Fil-Spanish defender with a busted lip.
“In all my years as a player, this is my first time I got hit like this,” said Guirado. “It should have been a red card, no question about it.”
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Tags: AFF Suzuki Cup , Football , Philippine Azkals
