BACK after a grueling training session in Baguio City, homegrown players of the Philippine Azkals national football team returned to Manila to play for their mother tournament, the United Football League at the University of Makati as part of their continuing preparation for the AFC Challenge Cup. Global Smartmatic, bannered by Azkals’ back-up goalkeepers Edward Sacapano of the Philippine Army and Paolo Pascual of Cebu and teammates Kristofer Relucio and Jerry Barbaso, and coached by team manager Dan Palami, blanked Kaya, 3-0, for their third win in the league.
Kaya was led by Azkals’ team captain Aly Borromeo, rookie Yannick Tuason and goalie Christopher Camcam.
Anton del Rosario, another Azkal playing for Kaya, did not see action yesterday after he was suspended for incurring two yellow cards in the previous game.
“We won, and the boys were all there, playing for both teams,” said Palami, who took over from University of the Philippines coach Frank Muescam.
Muescam was busy coaching the Maroons, who went on to defeat University of Santo Tomas, 2-1, in the men’s football finals of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines at the Ateneo’s Erenchum field.
Palami said the entire Azkals’ team will resume practice today at the International School Manila pitch in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.
Sacapano, Pascual and Camcam will alternate as goalkeepers for the Azkals in place of Fil-British Neil Etheridge, who will not be able to play because of his commitments with his mother team Fullham FC in England.
Palami said the Azkals will attend the Philippine Sportswriters Awards Awards Night at the Manila Hotel on March 5, and then leave for Japan on March 7 to begin the next phase of their training before facing Mongolia.
Fil-Dutch Jason De Jong will rejoin the team in the next few days. De Jong recently signed up with the Sriwijaya Football Club for the Indonesian Super League.
Peter Atencio, Manila Standard Today
