This appears in the Sunday December 19, 2010 edition of the Business Mirror.
Day of Reckoning
A preview of the Indonesia-Philippines match
by rick olivares
JAKARTA, INDONESIA -- Alfred Riedl and Simon McMenemy like what they see.
For the former, a first year coach with Indonesia, it’s taking the “away” game against the Philippines 1-nil last Thursday December 16. The Merah Putih earned three points for their fourth successive win and the home team has one foot inside the finals’ door of the 2010 Suzuki Cup. “We hoped to get a few more goals but the Philippines’ defense was very good. The win puts us in a good situation but we have not yet secured the semifinals. It still is very dangerous.”
The latter, also a first year coach with the Philippines, likes what he sees. The Azkals may have lost 1-nil but “that was a massive step forward from the 13-1 beating of six years ago” as McMenemy put the loss in perspective.
“It could have gone either way,” noted Philippines’ English head coach. “We had our chances but we weren’t able to put the ball in the back of the net. Neil (Etheridge) made one mistake. His first mistake of the tournament and he got punished for it. You have to remember that he is only 20 years old and as good as he is right now, he can only get even better. He will learn from that.”
Indonesia’s Cristian Gonzales scored on a header in the 32nd minute when the Philippines’ Etheridge and defender Ray Jonsson got entangled allowing the ball to cross the untended goal.
“It was a mistake I made,” said a remorseful Etheridge soon after the match. “I feel like I let the team and the fans down. It’s a huge responsibility and I have to be man enough to stand by my actions and my mistake. And I won’t make that same mistake again.”
Added the 6’3” backup goalkeeper for Fulham Football Club in the English Premier League, “We will play better on Sunday that’s for sure. And we will make the proper adjustments.”
“Oh, we will adjust all right,” McMenemy of the all-important second match of the home-and-away series between the two countries that is ironically being played at the Gelano Bung Karno Stadium in Indonesia handing the Merah Putih a huge advantage for the series. “They’ve scored at least two goals in their previous matches in the group stages and we were able to only concede one to them last Thursday. Granted that we lost but they didn’t have an easy time at all.”
For the Philippines to advance to the final stage of the competition they must outscore Indonesia by two goals or to match them goal for goal but that would send the game into penalty kicks where anything can happen.
But for that to materialize several things must fall into place.
Striker Ian Araneta, who plays opposite Phil Younghusband on top of a 4-4-2 formation, needs to get untracked. He has had numerous scoring opportunities since the group stages in Vietnam but has been unable to find the back of the net. If he scores it will ease the pressure on Younghusband who is marked tightly by the opposing team.
Midfielder Chris Greatwich, the hero of the draw against Singapore and the win against Vietnam, must impose his will in the Philippine midfield. He has been marked well since the Myanmar match that ended in a scoreless draw that sent the Philippines to the semifinals stages.
McMenemy must also devise a way to have the midfielders to provide some support during their sorties against Indonesia.
Right back Anton del Rosario, who has had a superb Suzuki Cup until the match with Indonesia, should find a way to shut down left wing Oktovianus Maniani who outraced him down the flanks to send several crosses into the box area of the Philippines.
Lastly, though difficult, the Azkals should find a way to silence the crowd at the Bung Karno Stadium. The official count of paying customers was pegged at 70,000 people. But that does not count those who got in using their identification cards and badges. Indonesian media estimated an additional 5,000 people on hand since the aisles were also filled with people standing up for the entire match. “On Sunday, the Bung Karno will be filled as Indonesia will try and wrap up the semifinals,” said Niken Prathivi, a writer for the Jakarta Post. “The public is thirsting for an international football trophy. Something we have not lifted since the 1991 Southeast Asian Games.”
The design of the stadium has the stands somewhat arced towards the pitch and as such, the crowd noise is blasted towards the players. In contrast, Vietnam’s My Dinh National Stadium which is so expansive and open that the noise carries out. Said midfielder Roel Gener of the noise at the Bung Karno, “When I stepped out of the pitch para akong nabunutan sa tenga ng may naka bara.”
The noise made it difficult for the coaches and players to communicate and that miscommunication also led to Etheridge and Ray Jonsson colliding to challenge Gonzales’ header.
Said assistant coach Edwin Cabalida, “Even if we sat next to each other, we had to shout to make ourselves heard.”
If the Azkals make history by defeating Indonesia on their home soil and advancing to the finals, expect those shouts to increase by several dozen decibels.
Kick off at the Bung Karno is at 7pm Jakarta time (8pm in Manila).
Notes: Philippine Olympic Committee Chairman Monico Puentebella who was with the team for their first match flew back home last Friday to make preparations in Panaad, Bacolod, in the event the Azkals advance to the Finals. According to Ravy Khek, chairman Match Committee of the Asean Football Federation, the Philippines will be given a chance to host a home game should the country advance. “We just want to be sure of several things – we need a football fit stadium with enough light. That means at least 1,200 flood lights. We need good security for the spectators and the teams. Besides that, we need to beam the broadcast live. And there should be wifi availability for the AFF staff and all the media. This is a good thing for the Philippines and the sport as it grows. It will also make the competition in Asia much better.”
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