MANILA, Philippines - HANOI – Hard on himself for what he felt was a “disappointing performance” so far, Azkals goalkeeper Patrick Deyto vowed to step up several notches and work harder heading into the semifinals of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2014.
“Personally, my performance was not very convincing since the first two games. I’m not having a good tournament and my confidence is dropping. But I think this break (before next week’s semis) will do me good, help me refresh, regroup, train hard and hopefully in the semifinals I play much, much, much better,” he said.
Homegrown custodian Deyto, 24, assumed the starting goalkeeping chores in the biennial meet – his first major tourney – in the absence of overseas-based Roland Muller and Neil Etheridge, both unavailable due to club commitments.
He conceded a goal to Laos in the opening game, where the Azkals charged back strong to win 4-1. He then kept as clean sheet as Phl dished out an outstanding game in a semis-clinching 4-0 drubbing of Indonesia in the next.
Against the faster, more technically skilled strikers of Vietnam, Deyto was late to react in surrendering a ninth minute long bomb by Ngo Hoang Thinh and gave up two more the rest of the way en route to a 1-3 defeat.
“I have to do better because my team, they also count on me, especially in the back. They’ve saved me a lot of times during the game and I think I owe them a performance. Hopefully in the semifinals and finals, if we get there,” he said.
Vietnam’s opening goal, according to coach Thomas Dooley, “killed” the Azkals’ strategy.
“It was a difficult ball, the shot was swerving all over the place. I was behind it when I saw the shot and then it swerved last minute so it was too late, I couldn’t get a hand on it. It was also a very powerful strike and skidded off the ground because the ground was wet,” said Deyto.
“I don’t wanna make excuses. I have to do better. It was 25 yards away from the goal and I think I had enough time to react. But this simply isn’t my tournament so far. The first three games are not really good, especially this one against Vietnam. I have to be better than that,” he added.