Sports and life by the sports kibitzer: AFC 2012 Challenge Cup-Leg 1 : Phl Azkals blanks Mongolia , 2-0 !

AFC 2012 Challenge Cup-Leg 1: Phl Azkals blank Mongolia, 2-0 !

As expected , the Azkals turned on the heat against Mongolia right from the very first second of the game with an attack on Mongolia's right flank by striker Phil Younghusband's dangerous cross that unfortunately had no trailers on the opposite side and chaotically cleared by the Blue Wolves defense! Obviously recognizing their offensive disadvantage against the more skillful and internationally sharpened Azkals, the Wolves resorted to playing compact , a defensive strategy similar to what Simon McMenemy and the Azkals effectively employed during the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup against more experienced teams like Singapore and Vietnam! So Mongolia put more men , sometimes up to 9 , on the box to thwart any Azkal penetration and then rely on a swift counter as a gambit . It was an all-Azkals offensive show, however, from the get go as they mounted the pressure from way up and down in the box which resulting to two quick yellow cards to a Mongolian defender (actually their midfielder) for an automatic red card and an ejection.

Down by a man less than twenty five minutes in the match , Mongolia shifteddefensive strategy as the Azkals pounded them with a barrage of shots on target. The more skillful Azkals though were obviously too overeager to score that first goal to please the almost 20,000 adoring fans who trooped to the Bacolod Pana-ad Park and Stadium in this City of Smiles ; thus, narrowly missing those "gimme" attempts!

And then it came and it came swiftly ! Left-winger Chieffy Caligdong , just lurking at the far post , calmly controlled an Anton del Rosario feed from way up the right flank to score off a chest stop, a left-footed soft flick and a strong right-footed volley that amazingly slipped through the legs of the Mongolian GK on the 42nd and 30 seconds of the game! So it was providential that hometown hero delivered the first goal at home for a fitting gift to the predominantly Ilonggo crowd , some coming from as far as Roxas City and nearby Iloilo City via ferry and RO-RO! It was rumored that Barotac Nuevo Football Republic even sent bus loads of fans and relatives of players via Dumangas port to support favorite sons Caligdong , striker Ian Araneta and swingman Roel Gener among others!

The second half was no different from first half play as the Azkals tightened on the noose all the more against the tiring Wolves with their brand new crisp passing game! This time though it was Araneta's time to pour it on as he hit crossbar after crossbar with his incursions inside the box! On the 65th, Araneta headed in what should have been another Philippine goal but unfortunately hit the bar! Then a minute later, in an attempt to break that long scoring drought , he simply flicked the ball over Mongolian defenders which unfortunately hit the post. Araneta even had a swift strike from the left which was parried off by the keeper in the near post. So the dry spell continues for Araneta and the Azkals have yet to score their second goal !

And then , from out of nowhere, substitute Simon Greatwich 's ( for Gener) beautiful " bicycle" shot off a pass from the right almost gave the Azkals a second goal towards in the dying minutes of the game but that , too, was slapped out over the bar by the beleguered Mongolian keeper.

Just when everybody thought that the final score was settled at 1- nil , substitute Jason Sabio ( for defender Anton del Rosario) weaved through the confused defense from the right flank then slapped a pass to Phil Younghusband who then struck with his right that was initially deflected but then blasted a lefty of a banana off the deflection for that elusive second goal on the 93rd!

So, 2-nil for the final count and the Azkals head north to freezing Ulan Bator , Mongolia on March 15 for the second leg !