Azkals Not Making the Headlines

Had the Azkals won over Kuwait's Al-Azraq, they would have made it to the headlines, SONA or no SONA.

But they failed, 3-scruciating-O against the football Gulf champ who has just beaten Saudi Arabia and Iraq. But stop right there. That isn't so very bad. No, not at all. Kuwait could have beaten us black and blue and would have scored more than we scored over Sri Lanka two weeks ago, 4-0.

It may be true that 80% of the time, my estimate, it was Kuwait foot kicking or head butting the ball, but that's all. I think the Azkals did a pretty good job in the first half of the game. It was in the first half that they could have scored twice, almost thanks to Phil Y.

The second half was a terrible half, though. The second goal for Kuwait came in after a tangle of a lot of white jerseys and only a speck of blue scrambling for the ball too close to the Kuwaiti goal post. Azkals goalkeeper Etheridge could only gawk at what seemed to be a game of "agawan ng buko." Then a swift kick from a blue man sent the ball to the goal and Etheridge bowed and let the ball in, like it was "His Highness." That second goal sent me to my room to sleep, leaving my brother and father behind.

The Azkals DID show potentials and quite a promise. With more support and less of a little-too-much adulation, they may just make it. Next time.

Then they can have all the headlines worshiping them across the Pacific and the Arabian Peninsula.