Booters land 2nd in Suzuki Cup qualifier

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is bound for Hanoi, Vietnam in December after winding up second to host Laos in the Suzuki Cup qualifying tournament that ended at the National Stadium in the Laotian capital of Vientiane Tuesday night.

This occurred when the hosts secured top spot in the four-nation meet with a 6-1 rout of Timor Leste to edge out the Filipino booters, who were held to a scoreless draw by Cambodia in the first match, by the difference of a solitary goal.

Although concluding the tourney with similar five points as the Laotians, the Nationals earned a ticket to Group B with defending champion Vietnam, Singapore and Myanmar.

On the other hand, Laos will be bracketed in Group A with Thailand, host Indonesia and Malaysia, which some football observers believe is a much stronger group than the one in Vietnam.  

For one, the Filipinos managed to hold the Myanmar to a scoreless tie the last time both squads met in the 2008 qualifying event in Bangkok.

Forward Ian Arenta, who had a hat-trick of headers in the 5-0 lacing of Timor Leste last Friday, noted that the team’s improved form was due to the system installed by former English coach Des Bulpin, who mentored the team for eight months until he resigned last July for a better offer in India.

“We owe a lot to coach Des and, of course, the management which has been very supportive to our needs,” said Araneta, referring to the group headed by national team manager Dan Palami, who has been bankrolling the team since it began training in December last year.

“There’s hardly been a management team that’s been this supportive in my years with the national team and we wouldn’t have qualified if not for the help of coach Des and Palami,” Araneta said.

Taking over the coaching helm last month is Bulpin’s compatriot, Simon McMenemy, who is on an two-month trial.

RP co-skippers Aly Borromeo and Chieffy Caligdong were optimistic of a better showing this time in the Dec. 2-9 tournament.

“If we could have the team back for December, I think we will have a good chance,” said Borromeo, who provided sterling backline defens with Rob Gier, and was also a consistent threat on set plays.

“We need to prepare better to stand a chance,” said Caligdong, who bucked a groin injury he picked up against Laos to play in the last 40 minutes in the match against the Cambodians.

The RP side will be reinforced by Filipino-German midfielder Stephan Schrock, who plays in the Bundesliga Second Division, in the Hanoi meet, but might miss goalie mainstay Neil Etheridge because of his commitments to his club Fulham in the English Premier League.