MALE – The euphoria from making the semifinals of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup for the second straight time was clearly in the air inside the team bus and team boat as the Azkals headed back to their home at Bandos Island Resort.
The players were singing their hearts out to the tune of popular ditties and some were even dancing as the boat crossed the sea from mainland Male’.
It was a real good night.
Two hours before, the Azkals fended off a spirited challenge from a desperate Turkmenistan, scoring a 2-0 victory that not only secured their spot in the Last 4 of the Asian Cup-qualifying tourney but also installed them as the top team from Group B.
There’s also a sprinkle of “cold revenge†exacted on an opponent that ended their Cinderella run last year and bumped them out of the title picture then.
“We’re happy we’ve qualified, even more happy we’ve qualified top of the group,†said Phil Younghusband, who along with Patrick Reichelt struck for Phl in that huge win.
“Finishing with seven points (at the end of group play), it looks quite comfortable. I think we got better and better as each game’s gone on,†he added.
Shifting to a different formation (4-4-2) against tall Turkmenistan and pouncing on the creativity of Paul Mulders, Jason de Jong, Younghusband and Martin Steuble in the middle, the Azkals managed to get the better of the Green Men. At the same time, Roland Muller took care of business in front of the goal, making a number of superb saves highlighted by a stopped penalty kick in the first half.
“We were up against a team that was going all out for the win, that’s what they needed. And they flew in their best player from Latvia (Ruslan Mingazov) and we were quite concerned, of course,†said team manager Dan Palami.
“But I think the Azkals right now have shown they can cope with the pressure and of course that win against the runner-up of the 2012 and 2010 editions of the Challenge Cup is quite (satisfying) especially against a team that ousted us from being in the finals last time. So it was a good and sweet revenge for us,†he added.
Group B topnotcher Azkals will shoot for a coveted finals berth Tuesday night (midnight of Wednesday in Manila) against the No.2 in Group A, host Maldives.
That one’s going to be another challenging match for the history-seeking Azkals.
“We play against 11 players from this country who are playing a home game with I don’t know how many thousand fans behind them. That’s the biggest challenge we have,†said coach Thomas Dooley.
“It’s a cause for concern because they’ll have the advantage of the home crowd. But I think they lost one of their games in the group stages here so it’s not impossible to beat them,†said Palami.
He was referring to the 3-2 defeat the Maldivians got at the hands of Myanmar in Group A play.
Home superstar Ali Ashfaq who scored three goals in the group stages, will lead a crew that’s described as “quick†and one which is “relentlessly hustling.â€