Strength in numbers: Azkals' fans have fun in Sunday friendly

Rarely are the stands of the University of Makati (UMak) track and field oval full of people almost all the way around for a football match. In the previous Sunday matches, only the center grandstand seated many. But Sunday, June 5 was different. Fans came in throngs to watch the men's national football team or the Azkals play in an exhibition match against a selection of star players from clubs competing in the United Football League. "Actually, we expected a good crowd, but it went beyond our estimate," Philippine Football Federation (PFF) General Secretary Ramon 'Chito' Manuel said via text message to GMA News Online. With a football in his hands, teenager Rafael Marilla said, "It is good that many came to watch their country's team play." Marilla plays football in high school during physical education class sessions. He said he will be able to watch the Philippines-Sri Lanka match on July 3 because an uncle of his was able to get tickets. A horn-like sound repeatedly blared from the far right stands behind the goal where Neil Etheridge stood guard in the first half of the fixture. The resounding call was coming from a long, yellow horn made of plastic and powered by the lungs of Manuel Caceres. "Mas masaya ngayon kaysa dati," Caceres said while on a brief break from blowing into the vuvuzela, a horn made popular during South Africa's hosting of the last FIFA World Cup. Behind him, at the upper bleachers, some fans got souvenir t-shirts, dog tags, caps and magazines. "I went to China to buy the vuvuzela while the scarf I got from Bacolod." said Caceres who was flamboyantly colorful in his blue-and-white wig and Azkals scarf. Whenever, the Azkals scored a goal, he jumped up from his seat then hopped and skipped in front of the crowd to get them to cheer even louder. "Football fan ako mula pa '80s and '90s. Noon, marami na ang 50 nanonood, kasama na siguro mga 10 outsiders tulad namin at iyong iba ay puro mga kamag-anak at kaibigan na ng national team players," Caceres recalled. Caceres said he did not yet have bleachers tickets for the match at the Rizal stadium but he hopes to get a few. He added that he was not eyeing any of the grandstand seats because, "pang-corporate iyon" in terms of pricing. Several rows behind Caceres was the Sison family, six members of them. The mother, Jovy Sison, said her kids were into taekwondo before, but her son, Joshua Verr, "shifted to (football) because of the Azkals and attended two modules of the Younghusband Football Academy last summer." She said they have no tickets yet to the game on July 3, "but if ever na wala, sa TV na lang." On the opposite end of the stands were the members of the 'booster squad' nicknamed Kaholeros, clad in blue and white uniforms. Using five-gallon plastic water containers as drums, they sent out rhythmic echoes reverberating all over the field. The crowds did not get seats near them mainly because they did not want to get toasted by the rays of the setting sun during what the weather bureau would later note as the second hottest day of the year. When the match ended, hundreds of fans streamed unto the field from the stands so they could get closer looks at and pictures of the players, coach Michael Weiss and team manager Dan Palami. Some had souvenir shots near the goals. Though the Azkals lost to the UFL All-Stars, 4-3, the fans still had wide smiles as they jostled for good position and aimed their cameras at the objects of their football affections. Patient ones lingered for a while longer so they could have pictures with some of the Azkals, UFL players and Kaholeros. It was a preview of the big game on July 3. – JVP, GMA News