RETURNING player Patrick Deyto felt that the 1-0 win of the Philippine Azkals over Nepal in a friendly match last Thursday is just one of the first steps to get the team back in shape again.
The team’s substitute keeper said this at the end of their encounter at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila.
“It’s a good first step. We will be better in our next game,” said Deyto, who handled the goalkeeping chores in place of veteran Neil Etheridge.
Jarvey Gayoso scored his second international goal in the 45th minute for the Azkals’ lone point.
The Azkals also welcomed the return of Stephan Schrock, who unretired after six months.
Returning Azkals’ coach Hans Michael Weiss said the Azkals were lucky against Nepal, considering that they are a strong team, having beaten his former team Laos twice in a pair of friendlies last March.
The 58-year-old Weiss said the Azkals need to get back in game shape and the team’s fitness level showed when they could not keep up with Nepal side’s counterattacks.
Weiss complimented the defense of Deyto at the goal mouth as he foiled numerous Nepalese attacks.
For this game, Weiss did not field in Etheridge, whom he felt was not fit to play. Etheridge contented himself with commentating on the game with the broadcasting panel at the bleachers.
“You can see that they are not in good shape. And in this case, you can’t put into reality what you want to do with the ball,” added Weiss.
The Nepalese squad appeared dangerous with their counterattacks in the first few minutes even as the Azkals tried to look comfortable at home with their defense.
“Their (Azkals) keeper kept the game in play in favor of the Philippines. Their defense was solid from there,” said new Nepal team coach Vincenzo Annese, who recently replaced Abdullah Almutairi.
The Azkals put in Gayoso to replace Patrick Reichelt, who figured in an accidental clash of heads with Nepal’s Bimal Pandey in the 41st minute.
The Nepalese tried to go for a pressing attack in the opening of the second half, but the Azkals turned the tables around.
The Philippines found a chance to score when a fallen Gayoso picked his way up following a scramble and then flicked the ball to the back of the net.
