Azkals off on shaky footing

MANILA, Philippines — The Azkals Under-22 team failed to start Team Philippines’ bid in the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia on the right foot, dropping a 0-3 setback to Indonesia in men’s football yesterday at the National Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh.

Plunging into action six days before the Games formally open, the Pinoy booters battled through waves of attacks from the Timnas U22 and were undone by poor defending in the late stages of each half of the Group A curtain-raiser at the National Olympic Stadium.

Marselino Ferdinan was the first to punch through the Azkals U22 defense at the 45th minute, sending his shot to the bottom left corner past Philippine skipper-custodian Quincy Kammeraad.

The Filipinos maintained a one-goal deficit most of the way, with Kammeraad even making a spectacular save on Anada Raehan Alief’s penalty kick at the hour mark, to keep the door open for the equalizer.

But the Indonesians put the game away with back-to-back goals from subs Irfan Jauhari (89th) and Muhammaad Fajar Rachmann (second minute of stoppage time) just before the final whistle.

Rob Gier’s troops will try to bounce back on Thursday against Cambodia and their throng of home supporters at their 50,000-seater stadium.

The Pinoy booters were the first to go to battle in the Cambodia joust, along with bets in Ouk Chaktrang or Cambodian chess and women’s T10 in cricket.

Meanwhile, the Philippine lady chessers join the action today as they compete in the women’s doubles 60-minute event while the men’s crew continues its campaign in the quadruple 60-minute competition.

Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna and Shania Mae Mendoza open their bid against rivals from Myanmar and Malaysia.