my FIRST live football experience

been a sports fanatic since young... i used to watch PBA (samboy lim/caidic era)

BUT eversince that 2002 World Cup, i started to appreciate the game of football. it amazes me the footwork, the length of play, the size of the pitch, the coach, the rules and most of all, the way players & fans celebrate a goal.

i am cheering for Brazil for the national (of course, next to Philippines & Spain hehehe)... Real Madrid (La Liga), Chelsea (EPL), Global (UFL). my cousins also love the game, we watch almost every match specially when Real Madrid plays

one of the games we watched that broke our hearts :(

oddly, Philippines is a basketball-crazy nation. Very seldom would Philippine TV features football matches until recently with the cinderella story of our very own Philippine National Football Team better known as the AZKALS. I really imagine myself inside the stadium.

when i learnt about Azkals' upcoming friendly match versus Singapore Lions and will be held in Cebu, i eagerly searched for available tickets. AND i got some!!!

woooot wooooot!!! i'm on top of my lungs... never would i miss this! cheering for my very own PILIPINAS in flesh, not on tv... bring it on!!! i kept myself posted on everything via twitter, azkaleros announced that Philippine team shall be in their blue kit thus, advised the fans to wear blue. i don't have blue-azkal-shirt, i wore my chelsea jersey instead...

November 15... excited to knock-off from work, i constantly kept in-touch with my cousins sol, jenn, irish and my brother loren. All roads leading to Abellana (Cebu City Sports Complex) was in chaos. we even took-off from the cab way far from the entrance and decided to just walk. i saw people walking towards the gate in face paints, wigs, vuvuzelas etc. i really regret i wasn't able to have my face painted.

the fans were UNBELIEVABLY crazy!!! even before kick-off, everyone was so in high energy and started their cheer... OLE OLE OLE

the pitch was (is and hopefully will still be) B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L... at first glance, it looked like it's an artificial turf!!! the complex is packed and i believed many were not able to get tickets, it's been sold out days before the match.

kick-off... this is it!!! 

the game began. everyone started to scream & cheer. the match was so breathtaking specially during the first few minutes where Singapore held more possessions than the azkals. Although the Philippines had chances... still the Lions dominate the first half until one of the Azkals was caught tackling a Lion player inside the box and the referee awarded a penalty kick! everyone was so anxious and probably praying that it'll be either: GK saves it or striker misses it.

the penalty that was saved!!! BIG save!!! the rebound was even saved AGAIN! whoah super ed!!!

AND everyone's prayer had been heard... SAVED!!! SAVED!!! watta save by Philippine goalkeeper Ed Sacapano!!!! everyone (including the bench players & staff) are screaming, jumping, dancing in celebration as if Philippines got a goal. we're celebrating for Singapore's miss! whoah

end of first half... we took the chance of taking pictures!

my bro Loren, me, sol & irish
Nader was also with us holding the camera
Jen & Noel were on the other side (yellow seats)

second half underway... people started to scream as the guy in No.7 jersey entered the pitch. yessss, JAMES YOUNGHUSBAND is coming in!!! and few moments later, the scream even became louder as the jersey No.10 guy entered... yeehhooo PHIL YOUNGHUSBAND it is!!!!

the whistle went off... the fans went wilder, crazier and louder at every single position of the Philippines. this time, the Philippine team held more possessions with the ball. in a matter of 10 minutes, the ball hits the back of the net... GOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLL!!! for the Philippines! the crowd went wild dancing and singing.

looya sa akong paypay hahaha

the Lions became more aggressive, threatening and obviously wanted to get that goal deficit back. the Azkal defenders did their job very well in denying the Lions' attempts to bring the ball near the goal. BUT amazingly, hats-off to Philippines' goalkeeper -ED SACAPANO- for consistently saving the ball from hitting the back of the net not just once, not twice BUT countless times!!!

that's super ED!!! man of the match... hailed by everyone

I was about to faint in heart attack when a Lion striker made a goal... oh noh! thankfully the goal was disallowed by the referee due to a foul. still its 1-0 for Philippines yehey! during added time, Philippines (Araneta) made it again... GOOOOOAAAALLLLL!!! the crowd were clapping, dancing, jumping in celebration but only to find out that the officials ruled it offside... sayang! 

And the final whistle went off... YES!!! it's final, we won! FT:1-0

----fireworks----fireworks----fireworks----

the crowd didn't vacate the complex right away... waiting for the players' ceremonial walk. we can't be satisfied by just looking at them from the bench, so we found ourselves out and went to the pitch!!! we were like kids running and dancing along with other fans! 

re-united with jenn & noel after the game!
AND we went crazy... running & jumping hahaha

what a festive-happy night!!! football is so alive in the Philippines, particularly in Cebu! GO Azkals!!!