Mika Palileo - Features
Mika Palileo
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Less than 48 Hours Until Opening Match: Some Pre-Tournament Thoughts and Expectations
Remember that rag tag team of pesky men that just won’t go away, much to the chagrin of Singapore and Vietnam a couple of years back? Remember those virtual unknowns that wore grass-stained, muddy kits, reminiscent of schoolyard play? It may seem both like a lifetime ago and just like yesterday when the Azkals were catapulted into national (and regional) stardom, thanks to the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup. Two years late...
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Second Half Notes and Well Wishes
The Philippines beat Singapore for the second time this year (remember that 2-0 victory a couple of months back), and before the euphoria completely subsides, there’s my mad scramble to open the laptop and string together some thoughts. I admit I’m a bit bummed to have missed out the first half, but thanks to Twitter, I’ve been updated while stuck in horrible Metro Manila traffic—including my feed er...
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Of Championships, Vindication, and Credence
It’s been a week since the explosive news that the Younghusband brothers were left out of the Philippine National Team’s lineup and less than a day since that same squad cinched its first silverware in recent history.Much has been said about the Younghusbands’ exclusion from the line up, and at this point, it seems as if further speculation is moot. Of this matter, there are only a few things I am sure of: fi...
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Team Phil trounces Team James and Other Post-Match Notes from the Clear Dream Match
The Clear Dream Match is perhaps the closest to a celebrity all-star game for Philippine football that has been thought of, and it did not disappoint. 2,800 out of the 3,000 seats at the University of Makati were filled with screaming fans, with 1,190 of these seats being reserved online—a testament to the strength of the event’s digital marketing efforts. At the grandstand, a smal...
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Pitting Brother against Brother: A Preview of the Clear Dream Match
Phil and James Younghusband are all set to treat their fans and ardent followers of Philippine football with the Clear Dream Match, a rare occasion for the brothers to go against each other—and the psychological warfare has started well before the match.Following Thursday night’s practices, James has confidently predicted a 5-0 win for his team, citing his players’ winning attitude. Meanwhile, younger broth...
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The Luck of the Draw(s)
If there was a moment in time when a supporter of the Philippine men’s national football team could step back and think of just how far the Azkals have gone since the team shot to superstardom, it has to be June 2012—when the boys finally proved they were no longer the underdogs coming into matches versus regional powerhouses Malaysia and Indonesia. The good thing about friendly matches is that t...
| 1. Loyola Meralco Sparks | 9 pts |
| 2. Global FC | 9 pts |
| 3. Stallion FC | 9 pts |
| 4. Diliman | 6 pts |
| 5. Kaya Cignal | 4 pts |
| 6. Nomads Auction Manila FC | 4 pts |
| 7. Philippine Army | 0 pts |
| 8. Green Archers United | 0 pts |