by Redjie Cawis

 BAGUIO CITY,Friday March 18 - Football fanatics and enthusiasts here in this mountain resort are happy that the Philippine National Football team made it to the Qualifying match in the Asian Football Championship Cup.

 Despite the loss of the Azkals against the Mongolian Blue Wolves, the national team still secured a slot in the AFC Cup after winning an aggregated 3-2 lead courtesy of their 2-0 win in Bacolod last month.


Sports analyst Jogin Tamayo said that Azkals faced a very hard match in the freezing weather in Ulan Bator in Mongolia. He said the team’s high altitude training in Baguio City and Benguet Province was a big help for the Azkals in adapting to the cold weather there.


He added that the team also had a hard time working on their defense. The defense of the national team was better in their first match in Bacolod, he added.

Baguio United Football Club’s Homer Alinsug said the weather may have been a factor but James Younghusband’s goal in the first minutes proved to be crucial and in the end made the difference.
 Alinsug stressed that the bottomline is the Azkals are going to the group stage and they will have time to improve as a team.

The JCI organized a football clinic for children under the care of the Department of Social Welfare and Development as part of the training sessions of the Azkals her in the city. * (PIA CAR)