Azkals hope Hanoi saga end with title

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine men’s football team returns to the very scene of its star-making and headline-grabbing performance back in 2010 – Hanoi, Vietnam – seeking to add glitter to the “Azkals-mania” by winning the AFF Suzuki Cup this time.

“Obviously, going back to where this Azkals phenomenon started is going to be very special,” skipper Rob Gier said during Monday night’s AFF Suzuki Cup Trophy Tour at Market! Market!

The region’s perennial whipping boys, the Azkals broke out of the doghouse in the 2010 Asean tourney, pulling off a huge upset over then holders and host Vietnam en route to an improbable semifinal appearance.

The Azkals duplicated the Final Four stint in 2012 and sustained their progress internationally, winning a silver and a bronze in the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup and overtaking the more established rivals as the top Asean nation in the International Football Federation world rankings.

“The expectation was a bit different then (2010); we went into that tournament with, well, not very high expectations and came up with the biggest reward that we can possibly have. Now we’re going into the tournament with a lot more pressure. But I think it’s something we look forward to,” said Gier.

“It’s probably the pinnacle of our careers to have those results, play those game. Now, if we go back there again and have a little bit more success, bring home that trophy, that would definitely be the new pinnacle of our careers so that’s what we’re gunning for,” he added.

Gier, though, cautioned against being overly sentimental when they launch their campaign in Group A against Laos on Saturday at My Dinh Stadium. Also in the group are payback-seeking host Vietnam and Indonesia, the Azkals’ tormentor in the 2010 semis.