Earlier today 27 of the Azkals flew into Thailand ahead of the Suzuki
Cup. Only 22 of them can be selected and so five will be disappointed to
find themselves cut ahead of the group stage only days away. Prior to
the final roster being released, we look ahead to the group stage, and
examine the Azkals' opponents, to see just what is in store for the
Philippine National Football Team when they hit the field on November
24, 27, and 30.
Thailand
Current FIFA ranking: 152 (3rd in South East Asia)
Last five fixtures: W4 L1 | scored ten, conceded three
Average FIFA rank of last five opponents: 161
The Philippines will be up against Thailand first, a difficult draw as Thailand is not only the traditional top side in South East Asia, but they are also the home side with Group A being fielded in Thailand at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok. With a capacity of 80,000, we can expect a deafening sound from the fiercely pro-Thai crowd.
For some of the players who have never experienced this kind of environment, it could be somewhat of a shock. However, the more experienced Azkals, including those who were there for the 2010 semifinal run, will be expected to lend a hand and a few choice words to the younger players.
In preparation for the tournament, Thailand has played a set of friendlies at home. Back in September they beat Laos 2-1, though that was their first game since February after they were knocked out of the World Cup Qualifying in the third round, losing 2-0 to Oman. More recently, they have played three fixtures in November, beating Malaysia 2-0 before thrashing Bhutan and Bangladesh 5-0 each.
Somewhat dauntingly, Thailand lost only 1-0 and 2-1 to Australia during the World Cup qualification stage. They are at their worst-ever FIFA ranking now, falling down from their best-ever ranking, which was 43 back in 1998. Thailand are a highly underrated side with a huge footballing tradition, and on Thai soil it will be difficult for the Azkals – who have only won twice against Thailand.
Those matches were the first two between Thailand and the Philippines, back in 1971 and 1972. Since then, Thailand has dominated, having won the other thirteen games between them, including devastating 9-0 and 7-0 thrashings. In the Suzuki Cup, Thailand is the most successful side ever, matching Singapore’s three competition wins, and also having reached the Finals in five out of the eight times the ASEAN Football Championship has existed. Having not won the competition since 2002, they’ll be looking to regain their past glory this year – and they’re possibly favorites to do so on home soil.
The good news for the Azkals is that the last match between the two countries was back in 2007. Since then the Azkals have transformed remarkably, amidst a certain decline in Thai football. That decline doesn’t seem to warrant the lowest-ever ranking for the Thai National Side, known as the War Elephants, and so the Philippines will once again don the underdogs moniker against Thailand.
Vietnam
Current FIFA ranking: 138 (1st in South East Asia)
Last five fixtures: W2 D2 L1 | scored five, conceded one
Average FIFA rank of last five opponents: 160
The Philippines first played a unified Vietnam back in 1990, drawing their rivals in the South East Asian Games 2-2. They repeated the feat the following year in the same competition, but history was grim reading for Azkals fans since then they lost the next five games to Vietnam. However that changed in the last Suzuki Cup of 2010. When the Azkals beat Vietnam 2-0, it was such a shock that Sports Illustrated made it their number ten football story of the year. The win gave the Philippines the points needed to qualify for the semifinals of the competition and reboot Philippine football.
Those heroics will need to be repeated if the Azkals will qualify from this group. Since that loss Vietnam, like Thailand, haven’t fallen to South East Asian opposition. They’ve recorded seven wins, two draws and four losses overall, earning defeats to Qatar (though beat them in the second leg 2-1), Japan (only by 1-0), China, and Turkmenistan.
Vietnam also used to be in the top 100 ranks of FIFA. Back in 1998 they were 84th in the world, while Thailand was sitting pretty at 43rd. In June this year they were 98th even, but have seen a decline which isn’t indicative of their status.
Judging by their latest run they will be a very difficult side to beat, particularly as they don’t concede many goals. Only China has scored more than one goal against the Vietnamese in 2012 as they look to regain the crown they won in 2008. Now, Vietnam will be looking to make it official, and regain their spot at the top of South East Asian Football.
Myanmar
Current FIFA rank: 156 (4th in South East Asia)
Last five fixtures: W4, D1, L0 | scored seven, conceded two
Average FIFA rank of last five opponents: 181
The Philippines unseated Myanmar for one of the top six seeds for the tournament, meaning the Burmese had to qualify. They did so impressively, with three wins and a draw. Myanmar was very poor in 2011, winning only one game in ten, but they have sprung back to their usual prowess in 2012 and are unbeaten this year.
Against the Philippines, Myanmar is unbeaten. They first played back in 1995, where Myanmar won 4-1, and overall Myanmar has won six and drawn three against the Azkals. It’s a statistic which nearly changed during the AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers, until the Burmese scored a late free-kick to equalize. Given their recent form and climb to fourth in South East Asia, the Burmese are certainly no pushovers, meaning there are no easy games in this group.
Myanmar will be looking to do what the Philippines did in 2010, upset the favorites and qualify for the semis. They’re not there just to make up the numbers and thus, will be a handful for all the other nations in the group, though their best showing was also reaching the semifinals for the only time back in 2004.
In 2012, Myanmar drew with Singapore and Laos, while beating Brunei, Timor Leste, and Cambodia. Importantly they’ve only conceded two goals while scoring seven, though they have played against the weakest set of teams of the four nations in Group A. This may give an advantage to the Azkals, who didn’t look out of place against Bahrain or Kuwait.
The Philippines drew with Myanmar back in the 2010 Suzuki Cup, and that was enough to send the Philippines ahead of Singapore and into the last four of the competition. This time around, a draw may not be enough.
Philippines
Current FIFA rank: 143 (2nd in South East Asia)
Last five fixtures: W3, D1, L1 | scored ten, conceded three
Average FIFA rank of last five opponents: 154
The Azkals lose the element of surprise this year, but they have gained a notable number of quality players during a time of remarkable football progress. The Azkals’ first game will be difficult, as expectations are high, but they have the best squad they’ve ever produced to achieve the task.
They’ve also had good preparation ahead of the competition. Playing against the toughest set of teams in the last five games out of anyone in Group A, the preparation, the team, and the will is certainly there. Football can so often be decided by a bit of luck, such as when Chieffy Caligdong’s early shot against Singapore hit a bad piece of grass and looped over the goalkeeper, or it can be decided by management, as in the semifinals against Indonesia last time around, as the Philippines had to forfeit their home match and play in Jakarta.
This time though, there’s no excuse. The support, the preparation, and the players are there. Stephan Schrock may be unavailable, Neil Etheridge may be highly unlikely to join, but nevertheless this is still the best Philippine squad to have ever graced the Suzuki Cup. They will be up against their biggest challenge, and now the test will come to see how far the Philippine squad has improved and how far they can go.
A semifinal showing would again be a fantastic achievement, especially given the group of death they’ve been drawn in. However looking at the team, their aspirations and dreams, there is still that slim chance, that small hope, that the Philippines can realistically win the Suzuki Cup for the first time ever. - AMD, GMA News
Thailand
Current FIFA ranking: 152 (3rd in South East Asia)
Last five fixtures: W4 L1 | scored ten, conceded three
Average FIFA rank of last five opponents: 161
The Philippines will be up against Thailand first, a difficult draw as Thailand is not only the traditional top side in South East Asia, but they are also the home side with Group A being fielded in Thailand at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok. With a capacity of 80,000, we can expect a deafening sound from the fiercely pro-Thai crowd.
For some of the players who have never experienced this kind of environment, it could be somewhat of a shock. However, the more experienced Azkals, including those who were there for the 2010 semifinal run, will be expected to lend a hand and a few choice words to the younger players.
In preparation for the tournament, Thailand has played a set of friendlies at home. Back in September they beat Laos 2-1, though that was their first game since February after they were knocked out of the World Cup Qualifying in the third round, losing 2-0 to Oman. More recently, they have played three fixtures in November, beating Malaysia 2-0 before thrashing Bhutan and Bangladesh 5-0 each.
Somewhat dauntingly, Thailand lost only 1-0 and 2-1 to Australia during the World Cup qualification stage. They are at their worst-ever FIFA ranking now, falling down from their best-ever ranking, which was 43 back in 1998. Thailand are a highly underrated side with a huge footballing tradition, and on Thai soil it will be difficult for the Azkals – who have only won twice against Thailand.
Those matches were the first two between Thailand and the Philippines, back in 1971 and 1972. Since then, Thailand has dominated, having won the other thirteen games between them, including devastating 9-0 and 7-0 thrashings. In the Suzuki Cup, Thailand is the most successful side ever, matching Singapore’s three competition wins, and also having reached the Finals in five out of the eight times the ASEAN Football Championship has existed. Having not won the competition since 2002, they’ll be looking to regain their past glory this year – and they’re possibly favorites to do so on home soil.
The good news for the Azkals is that the last match between the two countries was back in 2007. Since then the Azkals have transformed remarkably, amidst a certain decline in Thai football. That decline doesn’t seem to warrant the lowest-ever ranking for the Thai National Side, known as the War Elephants, and so the Philippines will once again don the underdogs moniker against Thailand.
Vietnam
Current FIFA ranking: 138 (1st in South East Asia)
Last five fixtures: W2 D2 L1 | scored five, conceded one
Average FIFA rank of last five opponents: 160
The Philippines first played a unified Vietnam back in 1990, drawing their rivals in the South East Asian Games 2-2. They repeated the feat the following year in the same competition, but history was grim reading for Azkals fans since then they lost the next five games to Vietnam. However that changed in the last Suzuki Cup of 2010. When the Azkals beat Vietnam 2-0, it was such a shock that Sports Illustrated made it their number ten football story of the year. The win gave the Philippines the points needed to qualify for the semifinals of the competition and reboot Philippine football.
Those heroics will need to be repeated if the Azkals will qualify from this group. Since that loss Vietnam, like Thailand, haven’t fallen to South East Asian opposition. They’ve recorded seven wins, two draws and four losses overall, earning defeats to Qatar (though beat them in the second leg 2-1), Japan (only by 1-0), China, and Turkmenistan.
Vietnam also used to be in the top 100 ranks of FIFA. Back in 1998 they were 84th in the world, while Thailand was sitting pretty at 43rd. In June this year they were 98th even, but have seen a decline which isn’t indicative of their status.
Judging by their latest run they will be a very difficult side to beat, particularly as they don’t concede many goals. Only China has scored more than one goal against the Vietnamese in 2012 as they look to regain the crown they won in 2008. Now, Vietnam will be looking to make it official, and regain their spot at the top of South East Asian Football.
Myanmar
Current FIFA rank: 156 (4th in South East Asia)
Last five fixtures: W4, D1, L0 | scored seven, conceded two
Average FIFA rank of last five opponents: 181
The Philippines unseated Myanmar for one of the top six seeds for the tournament, meaning the Burmese had to qualify. They did so impressively, with three wins and a draw. Myanmar was very poor in 2011, winning only one game in ten, but they have sprung back to their usual prowess in 2012 and are unbeaten this year.
Against the Philippines, Myanmar is unbeaten. They first played back in 1995, where Myanmar won 4-1, and overall Myanmar has won six and drawn three against the Azkals. It’s a statistic which nearly changed during the AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers, until the Burmese scored a late free-kick to equalize. Given their recent form and climb to fourth in South East Asia, the Burmese are certainly no pushovers, meaning there are no easy games in this group.
Myanmar will be looking to do what the Philippines did in 2010, upset the favorites and qualify for the semis. They’re not there just to make up the numbers and thus, will be a handful for all the other nations in the group, though their best showing was also reaching the semifinals for the only time back in 2004.
In 2012, Myanmar drew with Singapore and Laos, while beating Brunei, Timor Leste, and Cambodia. Importantly they’ve only conceded two goals while scoring seven, though they have played against the weakest set of teams of the four nations in Group A. This may give an advantage to the Azkals, who didn’t look out of place against Bahrain or Kuwait.
The Philippines drew with Myanmar back in the 2010 Suzuki Cup, and that was enough to send the Philippines ahead of Singapore and into the last four of the competition. This time around, a draw may not be enough.
Philippines
Current FIFA rank: 143 (2nd in South East Asia)
Last five fixtures: W3, D1, L1 | scored ten, conceded three
Average FIFA rank of last five opponents: 154
The Azkals lose the element of surprise this year, but they have gained a notable number of quality players during a time of remarkable football progress. The Azkals’ first game will be difficult, as expectations are high, but they have the best squad they’ve ever produced to achieve the task.
They’ve also had good preparation ahead of the competition. Playing against the toughest set of teams in the last five games out of anyone in Group A, the preparation, the team, and the will is certainly there. Football can so often be decided by a bit of luck, such as when Chieffy Caligdong’s early shot against Singapore hit a bad piece of grass and looped over the goalkeeper, or it can be decided by management, as in the semifinals against Indonesia last time around, as the Philippines had to forfeit their home match and play in Jakarta.
This time though, there’s no excuse. The support, the preparation, and the players are there. Stephan Schrock may be unavailable, Neil Etheridge may be highly unlikely to join, but nevertheless this is still the best Philippine squad to have ever graced the Suzuki Cup. They will be up against their biggest challenge, and now the test will come to see how far the Philippine squad has improved and how far they can go.
A semifinal showing would again be a fantastic achievement, especially given the group of death they’ve been drawn in. However looking at the team, their aspirations and dreams, there is still that slim chance, that small hope, that the Philippines can realistically win the Suzuki Cup for the first time ever. - AMD, GMA News
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