James, Phil in spotlight

Siblings Phil and James Younghusband go at it one last time in the third and final installment of the Clear Dream Match – the biggest all-star game in the Philippines – tomorrow at the University of Makati field with Manchester United legends Paul Scholes and Andy Cole helping the brothers settle the score.

The Younghusbands split the first two editions of the event sponsored by Clear, with Phil’s team scoring a 5-2 victory in the inaugural edition and James’ squad getting back with a 4-1 triumph last year, making this year’s duel an exciting race to the finish.

Fans helped the Phil and James’ respective teams get first pick of the legends by scoring points for either teams online. Phil won the final online points tally, thanks to his active and digitally engaged fans, allowing him to pick Scholes to be part of the Team Phil contingent in the event backed by Fairmont, PLDT Fibr, Adidas, Chris Sports, Gatorade, Greenwich, The Camp, Jaguar, Mint and Sprinto.

Cole went to Team James.

“It will be my first time, and I’m excited to see the young new talent in Asia,” said Scholes, an 11-time Premier League winner. “It’s always a great experience to visit a country where football is a growing sport.”

Cited as one of the best midfielders of his generation, Scholes has made over 700 appearances for Manchester United and has the third-highest number of appearances by any player for the club. He has also played a key part in the club’s Treble-winning success in the 1998–99 season.

James was excited to welcome Cole on board. “It will be great to have Cole on the team. Team James wants to score several goals, and having the second highest goal scorer in English Premier League history on your team is such a huge asset,” he said.

source: mb.com.ph

Azkals defeat Maldives in Challenge Cup semis on Greatwich goal

The Philippine men's national football team is AFC Challenge Cup finals bound after a 3-2 victory over Maldives in which Phil Younghusband, Chris Greatwich and Jerry Lucena scored

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine men's national football team is AFC Challenge Cup finals bound after a 3-2 victory over Maldives in the early hours of Wednesday, May 28 in Male’, Maldives.

With both teams tied in extra time, Chris Greatwich once again displayed his clutch heroics, coming on as a substitution to score the go-ahead goal in the 104th minute of play. The goal, which was the 10-year Azkal veteran’s seventh international score, was reminiscent of Greatwich’s deciding goal against Vietnam in the 2010 Suzuki Cup.

The Azkals will now face Palestine at midnight on Friday, May 30 with the winner to earn a spot in the 2015 Asian Cup in Australia. Palestine defeated Afghanistan earlier in the day by a 2-0 tally.

Phil Younghusband opened the scoreline after he turned and shoot in the 19th minute. The Azkals' superb play and passing had left Maldives banking mostly on counter plays, paying dividends as Mohammad Umair scored an equalizer in the 36th minute. Just 3 minutes after, Jerry Lucena scored his first goal for the national inside the box after a Patrick Reichelt miss bounced right in front of him.


Maldives wasn't going down without a fight, with Asadullah Abdhulla scoring another equalizer in the 66th minute. The game went to 30 minutes of extra time.

Azkals keeper Roland Muller also had his hands full, pulling important saves from a penalty kick and a straight shot at goal from Abdhulla in the 93rd minute.

The Philippines had 21 attempts compared to 12 from Maldives, while edging the host nation 8-7 in on target shots. Maldives earned 4 yellow cards compared to 3 for the Philippines.

The Philippines last played Palestine in 2012, defeating them 4-3 to earn third place in that edition of the Challenge Cup.

source: Rappler.com

PH Azkals outlast Maldives to make AFC Challenge Cup finals

MANILA, Philippines—Chris Greatwich struck in extra time as the Philippines outlasted Maldives, 3-2, to make the finals of the AFC Challenge Cup early Wednesday (Manila time) at the National Stadium in Male, Maldives.

One of the players who helped the Azkals spark the rise of football in the country in 2010, Greatwich delivered the clutch goal once again after he came in for Jerry Lucena in the second half.

Phil Younghusband opened the scoring for the Azkals in the 19th minute. The Fil-British striker also kicked off the Filipinos’ attack in the 2-0 win over Turkmenistan in the group stage.

The Fil-Danish Lucena followed it up with his first goal for the Philippines, giving the Azkals a 2-1 lead in the 39th minute.

But it was far from a safe lead for the Filipinos as the home team equalized in the 66th minute on a goal from Assadhulla Abdulla.

Ali Ashfaq led Maldives’ final stand in extra time, but the Azkals managed to hold their ground for the historical victory.

The Azkals and Palestine, which shut out Afghanistan, 2-0, in the semis, will meet in the Finals and dispute the coveted slot for the AFC Asian Cup on Friday.

Azkals go for historic finals vs Maldives

MALE’ – Holding the trophy in a photo op with the coach of the opposing team after the presscon for the semifinal matches of the AFC Challenge Cup, a smiling Azkals mentor Thomas Dooley blurted: “Can I take this home?”

It was said in jest but it pretty much expressed how much the former US skipper wanted the hardware for his Pinoy wards, who stand within striking distance of the title and a historic stint in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.

The top semifinalist from Group B, the Azkals gun for a finals berth tonight (midnight of Tuesday in Manila) against Group A second-placer Maldives before an unfriendly crowd at National Stadium.

“It will definitely be very, very interesting game and a very difficult game for us because we’re not just playing (the) Maldives (team), we’re playing against the country (with) maybe 12,000 or 13,000 people in the stadium and their presence gives their team more energy, more power, and that’s always difficult to play in,” said Dooley.

But the Azkals believe they can take on the “super tough” challenge the home side is expected to give them.

“It’s going to be a super tough game; they’re going to have a lot of fans screaming for them but I’m confident this team has enough ability and mental strength to deal with it and hopefully, God-willing, we’ll come out with positive result at the end of it,” said captain Rob Gier.

Sportshub ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
Maldives coach Drago Mamic said they wouldn’t depend much on the so-called “12th man” to hurdle the visitors.

“In football and in other sports, sometimes when fans cheer for you but you make mistakes and it’s neutralized. So you must play disciplined; you must know how to take advantage of this and to be careful because the opposing side is very strong and details can decide the game,” he said.

The Azkals expect to have their hands full against a quick and hardworking Maldivians led by their star striker Ali Ashfaq, who scored three goals in the group stages.

“Maldives is a good team. We watched their games during the group stages and they’re a quick team, they don’t give up, they keep on hustling. So it’s going be difficult and if we want to win, we have to play very well,” said Phil Younghusband.

Gier, one of the Azkals’ defensive pillars, said they will try to neutralize the threat from the charismatic Ashfaq.

“We’ve played against lots of good strikers throughout Asia. Obviously, he’s their star, their captain, their talisman. But we won’t be treating him any differently from how we treat everyone else. It’s kinda imperative we nullify his game. If we could do that, then we’ll have a successful game,” said the veteran.

Mamic said they have the luxury of having everyone in the team available for the game.

source: philstar.com

Younghusbands, Caligdong may miss UFL match in Cebu

PHILIPPINE Azkals front liners Emilio “Chiefy” Caligdong of the Green Archers United Globe and James and Phil Younghusband of the Loyola Meralco Sparks FC might miss their bearing match in the ongoing United Football League (UFL) here at the Aboitiz Football Field on Nov. 10.

This after the Azkals are scheduled to fly to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a friendly match on Nov. 9 at the Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

But even without the Azkals stars, the bearing match will still push through to highlight the opening of the 16th season of the Aboitiz Football Cup, according to Cebu Football Association’s (CFA) grassroots committee chairman Raffy Musni in an interview with Cebu Daily News .

But Musni said the CFA will still be waiting for the final announcement from the UFL if Caligdong and the Younghusbands will play in the said match.

“With the Azkals’ upcoming schedules, it seems that Caligdong and the Younghusbands could miss playing for their teams but we have to wait for the announcement from UFL regarding the development of the three football stars’ appearance in the opening of the Aboitiz Football Cup,” Musni said.

The Philippine team is also set to face India on Nov. 15.

The Loyola Meralco Sparks recently won via a lopsided victory over the Blue Guards FC, 33-0, last Wednesday at the Emperador Stadium in Taguig City. The Green Archers FC also defeated the Blue Guards last Oct. 20.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Love-less Phil hits 2 goals in 2 minutes

In a magical moment, Phil Younghusband scored two goals in a two-minute span to highlight a sensational 6-goal performance that helped power the Loyola Meralco Sparks to a 9-0 drubbing of Navy and into the knockout stage of the United Football League (UFL) Cup Sunday night at the Emperador Stadium in McKinley Hill.

The Philippine Azkals striker struck in the 48th, 49th, 59th, 67th, 72nd and 76th minutes to propel the Sparks to their second win in as many matches and tie idle Green Archers United for the lead in Group E with six points apiece.

Younghusband’s exploits came in his first match since announcing his breakup with actress Angel Locsin.

His six-goal performance was Younghusband’s best since scoring seven against Team Soccerroo in the 2011 UFL Cup.

Meanwhile, defending champion Stallion FC and newly relegated second division side Air Force beat separate rivals to join Loyola in the knockout stage.

Stallion drew goals from Reuben Doctora, Bo Bae Park and Jeremy Taylor John to defeat Bright Star FC, 3-1, while Ian Araneta, Neckson Leonora and Randy Bela-Ong scored in Air Force’s 3-0 beating of Agila FC.

Both clubs are tied for second place in Group C with six points apiece, trailing surprise leader Cebu Queen City United by one point.

The once mighty Air Force booters, who won the UFL Cup in 2009 and 2011, earned a return trip to the knockout stage after being eliminated in the group stage last year.

In the other match, Abdou Moussa Obono scored a hat trick as Dolphins United thrashed Blue Guards FC, 11-1, to revive its flickering hopes of making the knockout stage. It was the club’s first win in three matches.

source: mb.com.ph

Azkals Go For Cup Clincher

The Philippine Azkals will try to overcome their last enemy in order for them to qualify for the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup. Azkals team will face Turkmenistan today in the final day of the Group E qualifiers at the Rizal Memorial Stadium at 7 P.M.

Azkals are in good mood after they win against Cambodia last Sunday in 8-0 score. A lot of Pinoy Football fans surely went after watching the Azkals match.

The Azkals team sees this opportunity as their redemption from last time failure to play in AFC Challenge Cup.

The Philippines and Turkmenistan are both tied for the spot in the group with six points apiece with the winner getting an automatic slot next year in Maldives.

The loser, however, appears to be on its way to the tiny island as well. Either team may end up with one of the two best second place records from all the five groups provided they won’t suffer a lopsided defeat.

Azkals team lost to the Turkmen, 2-1. in the 2012 Challenge Cup semifinals in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Turkmenistan won after scoring two goals in the final 10 minutes.

But last Sunday game was different, Azkals drew big performances from veteran striker Phil Younghusband and the debuting Javier Patino.

Younghusband scored four goals while Patino made an impression in front of the home fans by hitting the back of the net twice.

Also impressive was Stephan Schrock, whose trickery and ball control at the left side set up numerous scoring chances.

Coach Michael Weiss started Fil-German Roland Muller as goalkeeper in lieu of regular first-choice man Neil Etheridge and the MSV Duisburg booter earned a clean sheet.

‘PFF cannot meet Younghusbands’ demands’

The Philippines opens its campaign in the four-nation Paulino Alcantara Peace Cup against Guam at Rizal Memorial Stadium tonight with the specter of Phil and James Younghusband’s absence hanging over the national side.

The Azkals will be without two of their key players who were dropped from the lineup because of “commitment issues and economic and non-economic demands.”

National coach Michael Weiss remains upbeat even without the Fil-British brothers, who have accounted for 33 goals since they made their senior debuts in 2006.

“We have prepared well and there is good spirit in the team,” said Weiss, whose squad will be looking to end a 99-year wait for an international title.

The Azkals will be seeking a repeat win against Guamanians whom they crushed, 3-0, last June in Bacolod.

Philippine Football Federation communications head Ebong Joson revealed there “are certain economic and non-economic demands from the Younghusbands which we cannot meet.”

Without giving specifics, Joson said the PFF cannot even afford half of what Phil Younghusband “counter-offered” in the contract they gave in exchange for full commitment from national players until the 2012 Suzuki Cup in November.

But the brothers, in a separate press conference, said they were ready to accept the offer, although they have yet to sign the contract.

“We will even play for the national team for free,” said James.

Another tricky issue on the contract, James said, was their involvement on promotional activities of the team, which they cannot totally commit to.

The Younghusbands have a myriad of activities apart from the national team as they are also under contract with UFL club Loyola Meralco. They also run their own football academy aside from their commercial endorsement deals.

“They have performed but now they’ve overstretched a little bit too much,” said Weiss, noting that the two players have missed training sessions and matches in lieu of other commitments.

“They made a promise (of being there) and I said I cannot tolerate that you are not in the team most of the time.”

The German coach added: “We only asked for their total commitment from September to November.”

Weiss was noncommittal when asked if he was ready to give the brothers another chance after the Peace Cup.

“We’re still ready to play for the national team,” said the brothers.

Phil, James Dropped From Azkals

The Philippine Azkals will try to win the Philippine Football Peace Cup which starts tomorrow at the Rizal Memorial Stadium without charismatic brothers Phil and James Younghusband.

Both brothers, arguably two of the team's most popular players, have mysteriously been left out for the week-long tournament after the Azkals released their official lineup yesterday.

Their absence, despite the event being a friendly, will certainly play a key role in the team's preparation and cohesion for the AFF Suzuki Cup group stage slated November in Bangkok, Thailand.

The move will be the latest of a series of absence by the brothers this year. They recently missed the friendly match against Laos in Vientiane (the Azkals lost 2-0) to commemorate the one-year death anniversary of their mother.

They were also absent when the Filipino booters played friendlies in the Middle East, Malaysia and Chicago this year, citing various commitments.

Curiously, both players were also benched in the first half of the Azkals' 2-2 draw against Indonesia in June.

"Having greatly benefited from Suzuki Cup 2010, we expect our players to work harder than ever this year. Unfortunately, not everyone in the team could assure us of this; a few have already signified their unavailability for some crucial activities leading up to the tournament," the Azkals also said.

Still, Weiss has lightning-quick left winger Chieffy Caligdong, Denis Wolf and Patrick Reichelt to lean on.

Belated Happy Birthday Phil!

Belated Happy Birthday to one of Azkal's cuties, PhilYounghusband! He just turned 25 yesterday!

Thais, Viets wary of Azkals, too

My Say: I think one reason why they are wary of Azkals is because the Azkals team is very eager to prove their worth in the field that they also have what it takes to win against Thailand and Vietnam football team and since the last AFF Suzuki cup, the PH Azkals team is training very hard to improve their teamwork and their skills. Just take a look with Phil Younghusband who is very excited with the coming AFF Suzuki Cup instead of fearing their strong opponents. Not only that Azkals football team is really preparing hard for their upcoming battles by calling foreign-born players and even even Aly Borromeo is fit enough to play to boost the Azkals power.

MANILA, Philippines - If the Philippines is wary of Vietnam and host Thailand in the group stages of the coming AFF Suzuki Cup, the Vietnamese and the Thais are equally on guard against the Azkals.

"Philippines has called up many foreign-born players recently. Their national team has turned into a completely different one. Therefore, we must be careful," Vietnam coach Phan Thanh Hung said as quoted by football website GOAL.Com.

The Azkals shed off their doormat image in biennial meet's previous staging in 2010, pulling off a giant 2-0 upset over the then reigning holders Vietnam in the group stages en route to a breakthrough semis appearance.

Much of the leap in the Pinoys competitive level has been attributed to the heads up plays of the Phl pros based in Europe.

"In coming time, we are going to keep close watch on their moves such as which players are called up, where they are from and their strength and weakness," Phan added.

The Azkals, 2008 winners Vietnamese and three-time ASEAN titlists Thais are bunched together in Group A of the Nov. 24-Dec. 1 meet, along with the winner of the Qualifying Round.

To prepare for the Suzuki Cup, Phan said Vietnam has set two friendlies against Indonesia in September and a pocket tournament with Turkmenistan, DPR Korea, and Iran’s Olympic team in October.

Thailand's coach Winfried Schaefer is also cautious against both the Azkals and the Vietnamese side, saying their groupmates are "very strong and there are no clear favorites."

"I have seen both Vietnam and the Philippines play and they are very strong," the German mentor said in a report on Bangkok Post.

"We have to train really hard and prepare well for the tournament so we can put a good team on the field," he added.

The Thais, who last won the title in 2002, may have to cram up their preparations as according to the Asean Football Federation (AFF) website, the Thai Premier League will only finish some 25 days before the Suzuki Cup.

"The national camp starts on Nov. 5 and we have arranged for two matches then. Prior to the camp, we need to play more matches. If we do not have enough quality matches, it will be a catastrophe for the team," Schaefer told the AFF.

Reports have it that Thailand is eyeing to play Iraq in a friendly at home on Sept. 1.

The Azkals themselves have lined up extensive build-up in the next five months, including training camp in the US, a series of friendlies, and participation in the Nehru Cup in India.

source: abs cbn news

Phil Younghusband excited on AFF Cup

Phil Younghusband, Philippines Azkals striker, is very excited on the upcoming AFF Cup even though the Azkals team received the "most difficult" draw. Phil is still optimistic on Azkals chances of success at the upcoming 2012 AFF Cup where they finished following on from their fourth place finish two years ago.

"It was the most difficult outcome that would have been possible, but if we want to show how far we've come and want to win the competition, we have to win the best teams," he told Goal.com.

Many Azkals fans are looking forward for the PH Azkals game and hoping that their favorite team will be able out do themselves and surpass their 2010's AFF Cup fourth place finish.

For this year's AFF match, The Azkals were drawn in Group A alongside powerhouse Thailand, Vietnam and the winner of the qualifying group which are being contested by neighboring countries, Cambodia, Timor Leste, Myanmar, Brunei and Laos.

Let's not forget to show our support once again to our favorite football team as they face their future opponents.

Phil Younghusband Confirms Relationship with Angel Locsin

Phil Younghusband was interviewed in The Buzz earlier and has confirmed her relationship with actress Angel Locsin. He cited the story about three boxes that she presented to Angel that signifies the most remarkable moments since they met. Their relationship became official on May 27, 2012.

3 key Azkals Players to miss KL friendly

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Azkals will likely miss three key starters when they play the Malaysian Tigers in a Fifa international friendly on June 1 in Kuala Lumpur.

Phil Younghusband, the Golden Boot awardee of the last AFC Challenge Cup, said he and his brother James will not be available against the Tigers due to a previous commitment.

Keeper Neil Etheridge will also sit out to serve a one-game suspension belatedly slapped by the AFC for his action in the Azkals’ third place match against Palestine in the Challenge Cup in Nepal.

“James and I won’t be able to play against Malaysia because we had a commitment we could not get out of,” said Phil during the recent launch of the Chelsea Soccer School Philippines, a joint undertaking of Chelsea FC and The Younghusband Football Academy.

“But we’ll be playing against Indonesia and Guam,” he assured, referring to two friendlies succeeding the Malaysia fixture, on June 5 against Indonesia at Rizal Memorial and on June 12 against Guam at Panaad Stadium in Bacolod.

Etheridge was penalized by the AFC disciplinary committee last month for “violating” Article 57 of the Disciplinary Code during the Azkals’ March 19 match against Palestine and slapped a $3,000 fine. The article stipulates that “Anyone who insults someone in any way, especially by using offensive gestures or language, or who violates the principles of fair play or whose behavior is unsporting in any other way may be subject to sanctions...”

The AFC did not specify what Etheridge did that merited the punishment. The Fil-British actually sat out that game as penalty for getting a red card during Phl XI’s previous outing against Turkmenistan in the semis of the same tourney so his alleged misconduct might have happened on the sidelines of that Palestine fixture.

“The friendly game against Malaysia is an AFC-sanctioned match and therefore, Etheridge should serve his suspension on that match,” said Azkals team coordinator Ace Bright.

The Azkals will hold a local training camp in San Carlos and Bacolod on May 21-28 to crank up their preparations for the three friendlies.

My say: We all know that the James and Phil Younghusbands are not only some dude with cute face neither the rest of the Azkals team. The Younghusbands and Neil are key players of Azkals that have already proven their worth. But let's not loose hope since the team still has a lot of great players and they will sure do their best to win the friendly game in Kuala Lumpur against the Malaysian Tigers on June 1. So let's show them our support and cheer them up kaholeros.

Malaysia, India invited vs Azkals in a friendly game and I think that the Azkals team will surely benefit from friendly matches because it will help them a lot in improving their skills.

David Beckham gave his jersey to Phil Younghusband

We can still remember how the crowd went berserk when the football superstar scored the opening goal at the 20th minute.

Phil Younghusband asked David Beckham to exchange jerseys after the game. Beckham was nice enough to agree to the idea. But after he was subbed out, Beckham handed his jersey to boxing legend Manny Pacquiao who was there to watch the game. The fans at the grandstand got a little bit disappointed that he didn’t throw his jersey for a free-for-all, but still many of them got excited when they saw Beckham shirtless.

David Beckham still kept his promise to Phil Younghusband and gives him his jersey in the press conference.

LA Galaxy coach Bruce Arena were very impressed by Philippine Azkals players especially Angel Guirado, Phil Younghusband and Chieffy Caligdong.

Phil Younghusband wants to have a future with Angel Locsin

Celebrity footballer Phil Younghusband would rather not put any label to his relationship with actress Angel Locsin. What’s important, he said, is that they’re enjoying each others’ company right now.

“For us, the status or what you call the relationship, doesn’t matter to us. We’re just very, very happy … I try to spend time with Angel as much as possible,” Phil told the entertainment press in a recent press con that launched him and elder brother James as football ambassadors for AKTV—TV5’s sports block on IBC-13.

In their three-year contract, the brothers will be hosting short instructional football videos, drills and lifestyle tips, which will be aired in between AKTV programs. The deal also serves as an opportunity for them to further inspire the youth to take up the sport—an advocacy they’ve been pursuing since 2009 via the Younghusband Football Academy.

Very caring

Phil, who described Angel as “one of the most amazing people” he has ever met, said that despite being together for months now, each day still feels like it’s their first.

“She teaches me Tagalog … Tagalog songs, things like that. I learn a lot from Angel. She’s very down-to- earth. She’s human … very caring,” said the soft-spoken Azkal forward and Loyola Meralco Sparks Futbol Club midfielder.

But the couple’s relationship is not all fun and games, Phil stressed. “I’m serious about Angel and I want to have a future with her.”

Phil also looks forward to see fans cheering for the Azkals in their coming friendly match against international football superstar David Beckham and the LA Galaxy team on Dec. 3.

Asked if he and Angel have tried playing football together, Phil smiled and said, “I hope to teach her in the future, but marami siyang ginagawa. She’s busy … with a new movie coming up. When we have time, I’d love to teach her.”

Poster boy

Although football is Phil’s priority, the 23-year-old athlete said he’s not closing his doors on the prospect of joining show biz. But at the moment, acting is out of the equation. However, Phil doesn’t mind doing photo shoots for magazines and endorsements once in a while—although he finds these things more tiring than playing football.

He also enjoys the glamour of being one of the poster boys of the local football scene.

“Yeah, it’s always good to drive down Edsa and see your billboard,” he said, laughing. “And to know that you’re promoting football at the same time is good. Obviously, one of my heroes is David Beckham, and to see me doing the same thing he does is great.”

What Phil doesn’t appreciate, however, are the random and sometimes bizarre rumors that seem to come out of nowhere. “Sometimes I hear things and I’m like, ‘Where did that come from? How did you even think of that?’ It’s all new to me,” he said.

source: http://entertainment.inquirer.net

Sports Unlimited: Azkals vs. Nepal

It was another shining moment for the Philippine Azkals as they blitzed Nepal 4-0 in a FIFA-sanctioned friendly match at the historic Rizal Memorial stadium. Team Nepal, which is ranked 135th in the world, is way above the Philippines which is on the 166th rung of the football ladder.

It may have been called a "friendly" but the Pinoy Azkals clearly gnawed at these Himalayan Tigers. Phil Younghusband scored the first goal for the Philippines in the 17th minute, sending the Rizal crowd on their feet. The pass by Paul Mulders enabled the Fil-Brit to kick the ball into the goal and put the Philippines in a 1-nil lead.

Inspired by his brother Phil's goal, James was on winged feet as he launched a long-range strike that flew to the net, marking the second goal for the Pinoy Azkals on the 29th minute.

Half time saw the UAAP cheerdancing champion, University of the Philippines, pull-off a show-stopping performance, to the delight of the crowd. The energetic and perky UP Pep Squad kept the crowd and the players in high spirits.

On the 55th minute, Phil Younghusband once again scored a goal that sent the fans on their feet.

The Nepalese tried their best to stop the rampaging Azkals and their attempts at scoring a goal were stopped by the Azkals towering goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.

Hartmann scored the 4th and final goal for the Azkals, with an assist from Phil Younghusband.

With this brilliant performance against the higher-ranking Nepalese, the Philippine Azkals has made tremendous progress in a short period of time.

Fresh from their runner-up finish in the recently concluded Long Teng Cup held in Taiwan, the Philippine Azkals is looking forward to their steady progress in the football scene.

The Azkals' Chieffy Caligdong was presented with the golden boot award of the Long Teng Cup for being the tourney's highest scorer. The Barotac Nuevo native proudly showed his small trophy, marking the tiny Pinoy's spirited offense during the competition that helped the Philippines improve from second runner-up last year to first-runner-up this year.

Hong Kong finished with 7 points, Philippines with 5, Chinese Taipei with 4, and Macau with zero.
With this smashing performance by the Philippine National Football Team, fans are looking forward to seeing the Azkals in action once again.

One thing that the Azkals are counting on as they make their steady headway is the continued support of their Pinoy football fans!

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Who Is Hotter Between James And Phil?

Who do you think is hotter? James Younghusband or Phil Younghusband? Cast your vote in our poll...

Phil Younghusband leads the poll 39-27

Angel And Phil Younghusband Dating Exclusively

Well, we've seen how worked up Phil Younghusband was when he played and scored in the Azkals vs Sri Lanka match and maybe because Angel Locsin was there to watch and cheer him up.

Believe it or not, young star Angel Locsin and Philippine Azkals member Phil Younghusband are dating exclusively. In one of their interviews, Angel and Phil said that they are content with what they have at the moment, and taking “that relationship” to a different level is something they both believe will have to wait.

“We are exclusively dating…we don’t want to rush things,” said Phil and Angel quickly added, “We are just enjoying our every moment together.”

Apparently the two agreed that they will exclusively date each other and that they will not see or date any other while in keeping the agreement.

On the other hand, you might already seen Angel Locsin and Phil Younghusband commercial for Century Tuna. They were introduced as a couple but still Angel says that she's single and defended that this is all not a gimmick since Phil asked Angel out on a date publicly on Twitter.

If you haven't seen Phil Younghusband and Angel Locsin TV Ad you can check our previous post or visit our facebook Azkals page and be updated with team Azkals. Photo by abs-cbn.

Phil Younghusband and Angel Locsin TV Ad

For Phil Younghusband fanatics out there, here's an exciting news that will surely move and tickle your hearts or if not, will somewhat hurt your feelings... just kidding!

Just so you are aware of the latest happenings about him outside the football field, Philippine Azkal star Phil Younghusband and the sexy actress Angel Locsin who's long been linked to Azkal's midfielder, are both in a sexy advertisement for one of the country's major canned tuna producers.

Check out their hot and sexy posters here: http://www.facebook.com/centurytuna and also be one of the first to see their newest commercial: http://youtu.be/gOOX-77FN8Q

Watch Phil Younghusband and Angel Locsin Century Tuna Commercial