Indonesia escapes with draw against Azkals

OJ Porteria tries to get past Asnawi Bahar. PFF

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—Indonesia salvaged a point from the Philippine Azkals as the latter's two-match home stand to open their campaign in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers ended in a 1-1 draw in front of 9,880 fans at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Tuesday night.

Patrick Reichelt, playing in his 81st cap, struck first as Kevin Ingreso found him all alone and chipped the ball past the keeper and into the wide-open goal in the 23rd minute.

Saddil Ramdani, however, equalized in the 70th minute as he was open from the right side of the goal.

Santi Rublico had yet another golden opportunity to score his first international goal with the Azkals' senior squad, but his late shot just hit the post, and the home side never got another decent chance in the end.

The Azkals remain in third place with a point to show ahead of a home-and-home set against Iraq in the March window.

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