Azkals dominate Chinese Taipei in rain-delayed match to open Peace Cup

 

The Philippines booked its ticket for the final of the Philippine Football Peace Cup after a dominant performance against Chinese Taipei on Wednesday. 

 

Goals from Rob Gier and James Younghusband, two for substitute Mark Hartmann, and an own goal pushed the Azkals through to a final clash after they outdid Myanmar's 4-1 victory over Palestine earlier in the day. 

 

There was great cause for optimism from the team, but in the second half the game was suspended under heavy rain in a familiar story at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. 

 

The Philippines could have taken the lead early in the game as Manny Ott first had a great chance to head the Azkals in front, following a nice chip from Phil Younghusband on the left. Ott headed well wide, though, before hitting his shot from inside the area too close to the goalkeeper moments later.

 

The Azkals dominated the opening period as Misagh Bahadoran then volleyed over. And then the Philippines got their reward for the pressure in the 25th minute. It was a scruffy effort from a corner, originally cleared, but the second ball into the box was headed by Rob Gier onto a Taiwanese defender and into the net.

 

It didn't take long for the second goal to come, as Manny Ott played in Misagh Bahadoran, who unselfishly laid it off for James Younghusband to tap in for 2-0 in the 38th minute. 

 

With the rain picking up, the Taiwanese began to up their game. They came out for the second period pressing the Azkals high up the field. They were getting success, too, limiting the Azkals' chances and putting real pressure on the Philippines. 

 

But as the rain got stronger the game became unplayable. Chinese Taipei probably would have pulled a goal back in the 57th minute but for the ball getting stuck, first preventing a penetrating dribble, then a pass to set up a clear shot, and then the shot itself got stuck in the water. 

 

The referee finally stopped play to deal with a swimming pool filling up in Rizal to join the track and field.

 

It took just over an hour to deal with the water on the field. Upon the restart, Azkals coach Thomas Dooley made a triple substitution, bringing in Carlie De Murga, Chris Greatwich, and Curt Dizon in for Manny Ott, Misagh Bahadoran, and Paul Mulders. 

 

The Azkals almost immediately put in their third goal, with a lengthy free-kick finding James Younghusband in glorious amounts of space in the six-yard box. His header crashed back off the post, though, and the score remained 2-0. 

 

It didn't take long before it was three with Phil Younghusband sent through on the left. The goalkeeper took up a terrible position, almost begging Younghusband to shoot into the gaping right side of the goal, but the Loyola striker centered only for Len Ching-Yi to slide in at center back and put it in his own goal. 

 

At the other end Taiwan had a chance to pull a goal back, sliding the ball goalwards but Rob Gier was alert to the danger and toe poked just inches wide.

 

Dooley then made a double-substitution, Juani Guirado and Patrick Reichelt replacing Phil Younghusband and Rob Gier. James Younghusband took up the captain's armband for perhaps the shortest captain's stint in international football as he was replaced by Mark Hartmann a minute later. 

 

Then only a great reflex save from Len kept out Reichelt's poke at goal, but it was four when fellow substitute Mark Hartmann tapped in at the back post.

 

There was just enough time for Yen Ho-Shen to grab a consolation goal for Taiwan, taking advantage of a mistake by Jason De Jong to strike the ball in from just outside the area at the 80th minute, before Mark Hartmann side-footed in a fifth for the Azkals to wrap up the win. — JST, GMA News/Photos by KC Cruz