Wolf gives Azkals win over Macau

Matches tomorrow (Rizal Memorial Football Stadium)

4 p.m. – Guam vs Macau      

7:30 p.m. – Philippines vs Chinese Taipei

 MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Azkals moved to the threshold of a rare international title after walloping Macau, 5-0 , for their second straight win in the four-nation Philippine Football Peace Cup last night at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

Fil-German Denis Wolf, who spent two-thirds of the match wearing bandage on his forehead after getting accidentally hit by an elbow, delivered a hat-trick as the Azkals picked up their sixth point and inched closer to the crown in the short tournament.

After two days of action, the hosts, who scored a 1-0 win over Guam Tuesday night, stood two points ahead of Chinese Taipei (four points on 1-1-0) and could wrap up the hard-to-come-by international crown with, at the very least, a draw in their showdown with the Taiwanese on Saturday.

Carrying the offensive load in the absence of Phil Younghusband who was not called up for the tourney, Wolf proved up to the challenge and opened up scoring 22 minutes into the game.

Wolf scooted past the defense of Choi Chan In to knock it in, celebrating his first international goal since scoring in a 1-1 draw with Malaysia in a previous friendly last February by kneeling down and pounding his left chest repeatedly.

An accidental elbow to the forehead momentarily kept the Fil-German out of play but he returned like a wounded tiger.

Making the most out of a scramble in front of the goal, Wolf gamely slammed in a left-footer to double the Azkals’ lead at halftime.

Not letting up, the 29-year-old Wolf connected again off a delivery by Demit Omphroy in a 64th minute counter to complete a hat-trick, the first since Ian Araneta did the feat in a 5-0 romp of East Timor in the Suzuki Cup qualifying round in 2010.

Fil-Spanish Carli de Murga and Fil-German Patrick Reichelt, the goal scorer in Phl’s conquest of Guam, added goals in the 49th and 69th minute, respectively.

The emphatic victory put Phl in a prime position to capture the Cup despite Chinese-Taipei’s 2-0 disposal of Guam in the first game.

Lo Chi An struck in the 11th minute and the Taiwanese got a bonus goal in the 34th when a misfired clearance by Guam’s central defender Scott Leon Guerrero pushed the ball into the back of the net, paving the way for Chinese-Taipei’s first win against a draw for four points.

“Chinese Taipei was fortunate to win this. After watching Guam against the Philippines (on opening night), we knew that Guam is a good team and we got lucky and won today,” said coach Chiang Mu Tsai through an interpreter.

Macau stayed on third with one point on 0-1-1 card while Guam remained at the cellar, yet to win a game.