Football kicks forward

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines failed to bag a medal in men’s and women’s football at the recent Southeast Asian Games but while the results were painful, Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Nonong Araneta said the other day he’s inspired by the athletes’ performance to move the sport further into a brighter future.

The men’s U22 team, reinforced by age exceptions Amani Aguinaldo, 24, and Stephan Schrock, 33, finished a whisker away from qualifying for the semifinals while the women’s squad lost to Myanmar, 2-1, in a squeaker for the bronze. The men’s team, coached by Goran Milojevic of Serbia, tied Cambodia, 1-1, lost to Myanmar, 2-1, beat Malaysia, 1-0 and whipped Timor Leste, 6-1 to wind up tied for second with Cambodia on identical 2-1-1 records in the group stage. Only the top two teams qualified for the semis from each of the two brackets as Cambodia edged the Philippines to take second place on a one-goal difference.

In the women’s side, coach Let Dimzon piloted the team to a scoreless draw with Myanmar and a 5-0 thrashing of Malaysia in the eliminations to advance to the semifinals. The Philippines lost to Vietnam, 2-0, in the Final Four then bowed to Myanmar, 2-1, in the playoff for third.

“Our men’s team proved that as long as we can provide matches, they can play competitive football,” said Araneta, newly-reelected as PFF president to a four-year term. “A lot of our players are from the UAAP, NCAA and local leagues and don’t compete abroad. We went up against pros and we nearly qualified. We had sorry losses not only with men but also with women. I think with their performance, we can build for the future. In the PFL (Philippine Football League), we’ll bring in an U22 team.”

Araneta said he’s excited about the PFL which recently signed a three-year agreement with Qatar Airways as a sponsor. “We’ve got six clubs and the U22 team participating,” he said. “We’ll play games at Rizal and Biñan, both of which were used for the SEA Games. Imus was also a venue for football in the SEA Games. The SEA Games brought fans back to watch football and we’re hoping to ride on this momentum.”

Araneta said in the senior division, the Azkals will play three 2022 World Cup qualifying matches next year. The Philippines plays Guam on March 26, China on June 4 and Maldives on June 9. The matches will be on the back end of the home-and-away series. This year, the Philippines drew China, 0-0, at Panaad and beat Guam, 4-1 and Maldives, 2-1, in away outings.

Araneta said he decided to run for another term to consolidate PFF’s gains and take the organization to the next level. Araneta was designated interim PFF president to replace Mari Martinez in 2010 then was elected for a first term in 2011 and a second term in 2015.