Guirado lets his game do the talking

KATHMANDU—Angel Guirado couldn’t have picked the right time to play his finest game for the Philippine Azkals.

With the Azkals’ semifinal hopes hanging in the balance, the tall Fil-Spanish attacker crafted the equalizer, before scoring the game-winner in the 2-1 triumph over Tajikistan Tuesday in the AFC Challenge Cup at the Halchowk Stadium here.

“Angel Guirado was the best man on the team today,” said Azkals coach Michael Weiss of his prized forward, who will miss the semifinal match against Turkmenistan because of suspension due to accumulated yellow cards.

“He showed fantastic effort.”

A string of injuries have caused a dip in Guirado’s performance the past few months and he hasn’t been able to replicate his resounding debut in the Challenge Cup qualifiers in Myanmar last year.

Guirado scored two goals to lift the Filipinos to qualification in that tournament last March. Since then, he has scored only once—against Sri Lanka in the World Cup Qualifiers—and his decision-making with the ball has often been questioned.

Guirado is also one of the two players accused by AFC match commissioner Cristy Ramos of sexual harassment.

Ramos claimed Guirado was wearing only his underwear when she conducted the pre-match inspection in the friendly against Malaysia—an allegation disputed by Guirado, who said he was wearing his match shorts.

Guirado, however, let his game do the talking. He set up Phil Younghusband for the opener, timing his pass to his strike partner in the 54th minute.

A determined Guirado later headed home the winner in the 80th minute to boost the Azkals to a maiden semifinal appearance.

“I’m just focusing on the team and I’m happy I was able to help the team,” Guirado said. “The past few months have been difficult because of injuries. But now that I am healthy, I’m glad I could give 100 percent on the field.”