Rewriting history with each tournament, the Philippine Azkals try to achieve one more goal tonight.
Relishing the thought of playing on home ground, the Azkals square off with powerhouse Thailand in the first leg of their Asean Football Federation Suzuki Cup semifinals at 8 p.m. tonight at Rizal Memorial Stadium.
It’s a tall order but the Azkals know what must be done to gain a decisive edge before the Thais host the return leg on Wednesday in Bangkok.
“We must play a perfect game,” said coach Thomas Dooley. “Every player must play 100 percent to their potential. There’s just no other way around it. We must fight for 90 minutes.”
The Azkals are the heavy underdogs against the Thais who have won the competition three times. But with a sellout crowd expected, the Azkals like their chances of pulling off an upset.
“Every game is a big game but a home game in Manila in front of our own fans, it doesn’t get better than this,” said skipper Rob Gier.
“The motivation is there which is playing at home in front of our countrymen and also making history,” said Azkals manager Dan Palami noting that the country has yet to win over the Thais since 1971.
The Thais reached the knockout stage with an unblemished record but coach Kiatisuk Senamuang remains wary of the threat posed by the Filipinos.
“The Philippines is a strong team,” said Kiatisuk, who scored 70 goals for his country. “But we know how to play them. It will not be easy for us.”
Kiatisuk has brought along one of the youngest Thai teams in the Suzuki Cup. This is the same side that led the country to a fourth place finish in the Asian Games.
The Azkals were unable to get the services of Roland Muller in time for the match, leaving Patrick Deyto to man the posts anew for the fourth straight match. Deyto has been far from convincing in the tournament but vowed to bounce back in the knockout stage.
Patrick Reichelt is also fit to play after an injured knee sidelined him in the 1-3 loss to Vietnam in Hanoi last Saturday.
The Azkals reached the semifinals in the past two Suzuki cup tournaments and also came within a whisker of winning the AFC challenge Cup early this year. Gier said the team is ready to seize their moment.
“We already know we’re a good team we just want to show it to everyone else,” said Gier. “Big games require big performances from the biggest players. It’s as simple as that. Although it’s a two-leg tie we can’t afford to go out there and be complacent.”