Forging ahead

Philippine football is forging ahead. This, as the Filipino booters, popularly known as the Azkals, continue to make waves in the international scene to highlight the country’s standing as an emerging power in this side of the world on the pitch.

The latest feather in the Philippine national team’s cap is making the tournament proper of the 2012 Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup. Following the Azkals’ 3-0 win over Bangladesh last Friday in the group qualifying stage, the Philippines is making its first trip to the main draw of the weighty regional tournament.

The feat is a follow-up to the Azkals’ strong semifinal finish in last year’s ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup, which all but revived the country’s interest in the sport.

But apart from the history making that the Filipino booters have been doing in the last six months, this latest accomplishment of theirs is further proof that all the support in various forms that the team has been getting is going somewhere. The entire squad is showing firm commitment to winning and seeing what it has set out to do -- giving local football a boost in stature -- gets completed.

And last week in Myanmar for the Group A qualifying action, all and sundry once again got the chance to see what the Azkals are all about. Struggled in the first two games against the host country and Palestine that saw them settle for draws -- 1-1 versus Myanmar and 0-0 against Palestine -- the Azkals delivered when it needed the most, displaying much character and "mojo" in their game.

Needing to win their last game against Bangladesh to cop one spot of two in the main tournament of the Challenge Cup next year, the Pinoys buck the pressure and "manned up" to barge their way out of their group triumphant.

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