PH Azkals rout Chinese Taipei, face Myanmar in Peace Cup final
The Philippines’ Jason De Jong (6) is challenged by Taiwan’s Weng Wei-pin (15) and Chiu J-huan (7) during the Peace Cup 2014 soccer friendly match Wednesday, Sept.3, 2014 at the rain-soaked Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila, Philippines. AP/Bullit Marquez
MANILA, Philippines — Not even a long lull could slow down the Philippine Azkals in a 5-1 drubbing of Chinese Tapei to advance in the 2014 Peace Cup finals Wednesday night at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.
The Azkals raced to 2-0 lead at halftime on goals by Rob Gier, who scored his first international goal for the Philippines on a header in the 25th minute, and James Younghusband off a setup by Misagh Bahadoran not long after.
Article continues after this advertisementThe match was stopped in the 57th minute due to heavy downpour that flooded the Rizal pitch but the 30-minute delay hardly affected the Philippines’ play.
The Azkals picked up where they left off. Fil-British midfielder Mark Hartmann struck two goals in the second half to cap a rousing performance by the Philippines.
The Azkals arranged a date with Myanmar, which earlier thrashed Palestine, 4-1, in the final set on Saturday.
Article continues after this advertisementCompounding Chinese Taipei’s miseries, the visitors scored on its own goal after Chen Yi Wei’s attempt to clear Phil Younghusband’s strike made it, 3-0, in the 65th minute.
Taipei’s only goal came in the 80th minute and in between Hartmann’s goals, which he struck in the 74th and 88th minute.
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