source: mb.com.phMANILA, Philipines — German coach Hans Michael Weiss admitted they need to go back to the drawing board after a shocking 4-3 loss to a United Football League selection on Sunday before 10,000 stunned fans expecting a dominant display from the national team.
Instead, the Azkals were the ones dominated by the selection whose team members included players from African countries and local club players.
“We lost the match that we shouldn’t have lost. It’s an indication that we need to improve,” said Weiss after the game played at the University of Makati football stadium. “I’m a little disappointed.”
Striker Izo El-Habbib of Sudan, the league’s top scorer, struck a thunderous right-footer in the dying seconds to power the selection to victory.
The game was headed for 3-3 draw as the referee was about to blow the final whistle to end the contest, but El-Habbib found himself racing to the goalmouth unmarked to boot in the tiebreaker.
The game was partly a tribute to retiring striker Yanti Barsales who played his final game as an Azkal but he left the team with perhaps a bit of anxiety as the Azkals failed to impress in the exhibition match that was supposed to be a preview of their preparations in their World Cup qualifier match against Sri Lanka in Colombo on June 29.
The Azkals pressed the action early and were rewarded when Chieffy Caligdong broke the ice in the 10:35 mark. But Eric Dagroh, an Ivory Coast national, equalized on the 39th, scoring the first of his two by eluding the defense of Aly Borromeo.
Mark Hartmann gave UFL the lead off a free-kick before Simon Greatwich levelled the count anew 2-2 on a follow up.
But Dagroh restored the lead for UFL 3-2 in the 74th, before Ian Araneta scored a header off a long pass by Caligdong. Then came El-Habbib’s late winner.
source: mb.com.ph
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