As Azkals fall short in return, Santi Rublico shows promise

The frustration was palpable in Azkals’ Coach Hans Michael Weiss’ voice, as he summed up the Philippines’ results in the first two matches of the second round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

“We should have four points from two matches. Instead, we have one point,” said Weiss.

This accurately sums up the disappointment felt by the team and its fans, as the Philippines could only draw Indonesia 1-1, despite a dominating performance in the first half.

The unsatisfying draw comes at the heels of a 0-2 loss against Vietnam, relegating the Azkals to third spot in Group F of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

After the gritty loss against Vietnam, expectations were modestly high that the Philippines could turn things around against Indonesia, who faced a grueling trip from the Middle East before coming to Manila.

The Philippines started the game brightly, with Santi Rublico running the Indonesian defense ragged in the first 45 minutes.

Kevin Ingreso made a return to the starting 11, and his quiet presence in midfield provided the Azkals a platform to go and attack.

Patrick Reichelt celebrated his 81st cap for the Azkals in style as he opened the scoring with a coolly taken goal in the 24th minute.

OJ Porteria and Mike Ott would carve out chances aplenty for the Azkals, but a string of misses and the inability to score more and effectively put the game to bed would come back to haunt the Philippines later on.

Indonesia, buoyed by a strong cheering contingent, would come alive in the second half and would take the game to the Azkals, scoring a goal themselves and earning a deserved point.

Truth be told, with the way the Azkals played in the first half, they should well and truly have put the game beyond doubt. However, a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal had fans clamoring for a natural goal-scorer in the mold of the legendary Phil Younghusband.

Weiss spares no words in the post-match press conference, “It's brutal. We have to deal with these disappointments.”

“We have to reset and see what we can do in March. I demand for everyone to be in top shape.”

Off the pitch however, the Azkals homestand was a definite success, with close to 20,000 fans in attendance over the two game days.

The PFF’s appeal for '10K Strong' fans in attendance was received warmly, with hordes braving the weekday traffic to cheer on the Azkals.

PFF General Secretary Coco Torre promised a party for the fans, and he duly delivered on his promise, with the PFF Fan Zone and Mess Hall providing food and drink and entertainment options that were warmly received fans.

This now sets the minimum standard for the future Azkals matches and even PFL games, and begs the question: Why wasn’t it done before?

As the past two game days showed, build it and with proper marketing and promotions, the fans will come.

On the pitch, however, it will be a bit more difficult.

A solitary point from two home matches is not the best of starts, and with back-to-back games against Iraq up next, plus trips to Hanoi and Jakarta, it will not be easy for the Azkals to get the points needed to progress to the next round.

But having seen firsthand how the Azkals have played in recent times, there will be positives to take away, even if the results will not necessarily reflect them.

The sight of young Santi Rublico in full flight in an Azkals jersey hopefully for years to come, would surely bring joy to many Azkals fans.

On top of that, with veterans Neil Etheridge and Patrick Reichelt, among others, still leading by example, hope springs eternal for the Azkals.