RP draws Tajikistan; Bhutan 1, Brunei 1

ILOILO City – Defending champion Tajikistan Thursday blamed the pitch field at the Iloilo Sports Complex here for its failure to beat the Philippines which held the visitor to a scoreless draw while Bhutan and Brunei scored one goal apiece in another match held simultaneously at the Barotac Nuevo Football Plaza in the second day of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup 2008 Group B qualifying competition.

“The field is not good. Our players had difficulty in running,” lamented Tajikistan coach Pulod Kodirov during a post game press conference.

He said the field in Barotac Nuevo, 29 kilometers away from here, where they beat Bhutan, 3-1 in the opening match last May 12 “is much better.”

Kodirov vowed to whip the Philippines, which played with 10 players, if they will be matched against the host team again.

“We will try to show our best players (the next time we meet the Philippines),” said Kodirov.

RP coach Norman Fegidero, Jr. praised the “team efforts” of his players saying they played very well despite being outnumbered in the field. “But in out next game, we will definitely win against Bhutan.”

Fegidero said they need to score more goals in their next match against Bhutan in order to offset Tajikistan which is expected to whip Brunei.

Defender Alexander Borromeo said they proved Tajisktan wrong by holding them to a draw saying they want to play the visitors again.

The red card slapped on defender Jason Cordova midway at 21st minute of the second half for retaliating against midfielder Ibragim Rabimov “made us stronger,” said Borromeo, a Filipino-American.

“The pushing and shoving was part of the game as both of us were good teams,” Borromeo added.

Referee Ali Al Badwawi earlier warned players from both teams to avoid playing roughly especially after the first half when tension erupted between Cordova and some Tajikistan players as they walked to the dressing rooms.

Meanwhile, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) commissioner Eric Loretizo walked out some 15 minutes after the start of the second half after he was prevented by P01 Junie Rubio, a police security from the La Paz police precinct, from going up the complex.

Rubio said he did not recognize Loretizo, a former sportswriter from Bacolod, as he did not introduce himself as VIP.

“I was ordered to secure the area and I did not know that he was a VIP,” said Rubio who was backed by his superior, Senior Inspector Uldarico Garbanzos.

Loretizo, who arrived in the venue together with Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella, threw away his identification card and disappeared from the scene after chiding Rubio./PN