Soccer is never been as popular as basketball and boxing in the Philippines but with Philippine national football team's quarterfinal victory over powerhouse Vietnam in the 2010 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup made it to Sports Illustrated’s Top 10 soccer stories of 2010. It is a magical tournament ride for the Philippine Azkals.
The Philippine Azkals defeated the depending champion Vietnam in a stunning 2-0 upset. The Azkals determination was seen n front of 40,000 Vietnamese spectators at the My Dinh National Stadium on December 5. This is the first time that the Philippines defeated Vietnam in more than 20 years.
SI.com writer Georgina Turner called the win one of the biggest upsets in the Suzuki Cup's history.
The Asean Football Federation's biennial Suzuki Cup might not be too high up on your list of priorities, but this year's tournament produced arguably the biggest upset in its history: Defending champion and federation powerhouse Vietnam lost 2-0 to the Philippines, ranked 151st in the world and without so much as a point off Vietnam in nearly 20 years. Accusing the Azkals of parking the bus, Vietnamese coach Henrique Calisto refused to shake his opposite number's hand after the match. Simon McMenemy was upset by the gesture but wouldn't be drawn into a slanging match after a result that prompted the country's vice president, Jejomar Binay, to promise a national training program.
The Azkals' defense is their key in reaching the semifinal round but they lost to Indonesia.
With this effort, the Azkals became instant celebrities in basketball-crazy Philippines and the government is now planning a national program to develop the athletes in playing the world most popular game soccer.
