PH Azkals hold Indonesians to scoreless draw, book Suzuki Cup semifinal berth

JAKARTA—As the final whistle blew at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, the Philippine Azkals hardly showed any emotion.

A goalless draw with Indonesia was enough to send the Azkals to the semifinals of the AFF Suzuki Cup, but this was a team that knew it could have done better even with the tough conditions at the Indonesian capital.

In truth, the Azkals had already sealed their entry to the next round before the end of their match with the Indonesians, with Singapore losing to Thailand, 0-3, in Bangkok.

But the post-match reaction was a clear indication that they are never satisfied.

“I thought we could have played better,” said Azkals coach Sven Goran Eriksson, after the Filipinos returned to the knockout stage after missing out on the 2016 edition that it hosted. “We’re happy that we’re through to the next round, but we have to improve if we want to go to the final.”

Bungled chances

The Azkals, who finished the group stage with two wins and two draws for eight points, two behind Thailand, will next face Vietnam in the knockout stage with the first leg set at Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City on Dec. 2. The return leg will be four days later in Hanoi, the place where they first made their mark in the competition.

Chances came at a premium as Manny Ott bungled three opportunities in the second half after Stephan Schrock scuffed an effort wide in the fourth minute. The Azkals also had to survive the absence of Phil Younghusband, who left the match in the first half after sustaining a cut.

But the Azkals once again showcased a disciplined performance, stopping the Indonesia transition with timely tackles.

The Philippines’ return to the Indonesian capital not only evoked memories of its historic semifinal run in 2010, but also showed how far the team has come since then.

No team in Southeast Asia has made a bigger leap than the Azkals in recent years as they are one of only three teams in the region that qualified for the AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates early next year along with traditional powerhouses Thailand and Vietnam.

“I think we’ve improved consistently over the years,” said captain Phil Younghusband. “Before, at this stage of the competition, we would usually be the ones who were looking to prevent teams from advancing since we didn’t have a chance on the last match, but it’s been a different case in the past few years.”

Now 31, Younghusband, along with older brother, James, and Neil Etheridge are the only remnants of the 2010 squad, which also featured current assistant coach Chris Greatwich.