Fil-German to boost Azkals AFC Challenge bid

MANILA, Philippines - A veteran player from Germany, Denis Santos Wolf, will reinforce the Philippine Azkals in their coming international sorties, particularly the AFC Challenge Cup in Nepal in March. The 29-year-old Wolf, a striker/attacking midfielder for Regionalliga Nord club FC Magdeburg, arrived in Manila this week to join the Azkals’ practices as the team began its preparations for the March 8-19 Challenge Cup. “I don’t know the whole team (yet) but a lot of good characters in them. Looking forward (to playing with the Azkals),” Wolf was quoted in an ABS-CBN report. Read M...

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Stallion Makes Strong First Division Debut

by Joel Amos Alejandro on January 16, 2012 soccercentral.ph The scorching Stallions Gilligan's FC burned down the Philippine Navy Redjuice FC squad by six goals under the blazing sun last January 15 at the University of Makati Football Field. The Iloilo-based squad started their season strong as they denied any goal opportunities for the Navymen. Joo Young Lee was the man of the match and his worth as a finisher for accomplishing a hattrick during the 33rd, 50th, and 75th minutes. Three bookings were made against Navy. Yellow cards were given to Peter John Fadrigalan and Jimmy Dizon during the 8th and 22nd minute mark respectively. The big...

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Azkals’ coach to focus on local talents

GERMAN ‘Azkals’ head coach Hans Michael Weiss will focus on the full development of pure-blooded Filipino football players in years to come to strengthen the national team’s familiarity in every overseas tournament they play in. Weiss told the Manila Times in an interview over the weekend that it takes a difficult time to assemble a mixture of Filipino-foreign and local players to compete in any tournament because most players will not be released by their club teams. “Right now, familiarity is what we need in the team,” said Weiss, who is preparing the Philippine ‘Azkals’ to the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup on March 9 to 13 in Nepal where the country is bracketed with North Korea, Tajikistan and India.” “Fil-foreign players will play for five times a year then leave. Nothing...

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Barotac Nuevo - A slice of football heaven

By BOB GUERRERO MANILA, Philippines — It is the day after Christmas, and like the Three Kings, Ebong Joson, a.k.a. the Blue Haired Fanatic, and I are on a pilgrimage. We find ourselves in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo province, to soak in the atmosphere of the Philippines’ number one football town. Barotac Nuevo has produced national team footballers for generations as university football programs regularly recruit thoroughbred players from the small town. Her sons populate the rosters of top club teams. Almost all the notable homegrown Pinoys on the Azkals learned their football growing up there. In a basketball-mad nation, Barotac Nuevo has always...

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UST edges FEU in men's football

The University of Sto. Tomas relied on its defense to shut down Far Eastern University for a 1 - 0 win in its opening match in the UAAP Season 74 football tournament on Saturday at the Ateneo de Manila field.

UST Coach Marjo Allado credited the team’s defense for the victory, noting that UST had trouble with FEU in the first half due to the Tamarraw booters' aggressiveness on the offensive end.

“Marami talaga silang attempts noong first half. Sila yung nag-dictate ng pace kasi nangangapa pa kami. Wala pang match fitness yung mga players namin since hindi kami masyadong nakalaro during the pre-season,” he explained.

Allado added that despite adding new players, FEU remains a dangerous team that focuses on attacks which is why he instructed his players to focus on stopping their offensive players.

The UST coach said the team got its wind back in the second half, and turned the pressure on FEU that allowed Golden Booter ace striker Christian de Juan to score the team’s lone goal at the 43rd minute mark.

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Azkals battle Korean team in Kia Rio Cup

abs-cbnNEWS.com MANILA, Philippines -- Just a few weeks after their historic match against CF Internacional de Madrid, the Philippine Azkals take on another foreign football squad in an effort to help the victims of Tropical Storm Sendong. This time, the Philippine Azkals will face South Korean team Icheon Citizen FC in a friendly match on January 21 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. "We were very moved by what happened to the Philippines recently, with the tragic floods," Icheon Citizen FC head coach Hyun-Chang Lee said in a statement. "Even though we are coming from far away and intend to try our best to win, this is a friendly match for a good cause," he added. Sendong lashed Southern Philippines last December, leaving over 1,000 people dead and thousands more homeless. Last January 7,...

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Rampaging Fullback: Joshua Beloya will be a star, and other things we learned

Ryan Fenix, special to InterAKTV Two-time defending champion Philippine Air Force’s title defense started off on the wrong foot, with Eric Dagroh’s early goal in the 4th minute of play enough to see title rivals Kaya emerge victorious in the opening day match of the new UFL season. Here are five things we learned from the game. 1. Joshua Beloya will be the next Philippine football star Stung by that painful capitulation at the hands of the Loyola Meralco Sparks in the semifinals of the last UFL Cup, Kaya added more weapons to their lineup in the offseason, signing Alu Kigbu and Under-23 national standout Joshua Beloya. And it was Beloya who...

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UFL DIVISION 1: Stallion sinks Navy for lead

MANILA, Philippines — Proving its promotion to the first division was no fluke, Stallion Gilligans overwhelmed Navy Red Juice, 6-0, Sunday night to move on top of the United Football League on goal difference at the UMak field. Korean striker Lee Joo-young produced a hat-trick as Stallion tore the Navy defense to shreds with slick passing and quick combination plays. The convincing win pushed Stallion to the No. 1 spot, ahead of opening-day winners Kaya and Loyola Meralco, which held off Green Archers United, 3-2, Saturday night at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. Kaya nipped defending champion Air Force Phoenix, 1-0. “We played a very good Navy...

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