Pinoy booters, umukit ng marka sa Asian football

MAY kamandag pang nalalabi sa Philippine Azkals.

Umukit ng kasaysayan ang pamosong Azkals at umukit ng marka si Phil Younghusband sa kapana-panabik at makapigil-hiningang come-from-behind 2-1 panalo laban sa Tajikistan Martes ng gabi sa Rizal Memorial football stadium sa Manila.

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Naisalpak ni Younghusband ang winning goal sa ika-90 minuto ng laro para makumpleto ang panalo at makamit ng Azkals ang tiket para makalahok sa prestihiyosong 2019 Asian Cup.

Ito ang ika-50 goal ng 27-anyos na si Younghusband sa international career at nagselyo sa paglahok ng Pinoy sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon sa Asian Cup – itinuturing ‘grandest football’ sa Asya.

Naitabla ni Kevin Ingreso ang iskor para sa Azkals sa ika-74 minuto upang pasiklabin ang damdamin ng home crowd na muling nagbalik sa football arena matapos ang mahabang panahong pananahimik.

Nauna rito, nagtamo ng foul si Ingreso na naging daan para makaiskor ang karibal sa penalty.

“I just want to say one thing, this is the best team that we had, this is the best camp that we had in four years. Everything is positive,” pahayag ni Azkals coach Thomas Dooley.

“That’s what the team is about. Everybody works. This is amazing. We talked about that before the game. If you are positive, you can’t lose,” aniya.

Kailangan ng Azkals na makatabla upang makausad sa Asian Cup, ngunit nagulimihan ang tropa nang tawagan ng foul ni Ingreso na nagbigay daan para sa penalty shot ni Akhtam Nazarov may 64 minuto sa laro.

Nagawa namang makabawi ni Ingreso nang maisalpak ang goal mula sa pasa ni Iain Ramsay.

“We were positive. We kept on pushing forward. We knew we still had the chance,” sambit ni Ingreso.

“I made that mistake. A clear foul. I was totally down for a few minutes but my teammates just kept picking me up and I was just the lucky one who hit that goal,” aniya.

Sa gitna na kasiyahan ng mga tagahanga, nabiyayaan ang Azkals nang tawagan ng handball violation ang Tajikistan. Nabigyan ng penalty shot ang Pinoy at ibinigay ni Younghusband ang winning shot.

“It showed the spirit of the Filipino people, the fighting spirit. Even when we’re down, we can bounce back and I think we showed and typified it today,”sambit ni Younghusband.

“It’s been up and down, it’s been crazy but it’s been amazing and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.