Ott late goal saves Azkals day over Yemenis

Mike Ott saved the day as the shorthanded Philippine Azkals salvaged a 1-1 draw with Yemen to stay on top of Group F in the Asian Cup Qualifiers in Doha, Qatar Tuesday night.

The 22-year-old Fil-German delivered the equalizer in the closing minute, allowing the injury-hit Azkals to secure the point in the crucial away match at Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Stadium.

Phl coach Thomas Dooley, whose wards could have clinched an automatic spot with a victory, said he’d take the tie given the circumstances.

“It’s better than losing three points,” said Dooley, whose team missed injured key players Javier Patino, Amani Aguinaldo, Misagh Bahadoran, Luke Woodland.and Ott’s brother Manny.

“Obviously we wanted a win for us to qualify outright in the Asian Cup but it didn’t go as well as we thought,” he added.

With this result, the Pinoy booters now tote eight points – two clear off second-running Tajikistan (six) and Yemen (six) – and will have to shoot for a milestone Asian Cup stint again in their next outing against Nepal in Kathmandu on Nov. 14.

“We will seal the deal in Nepal,” Dooley vowed.

The Yemenis, who battled Phl to a 2-2 standoff in their first meeting in Bacolod last month, put the pressure on the visitors as they drew first blood at the 63rd minute, with Tawfik Ali pouncing on the Filipinos’ failure to clear the corner to slot it home.

The Azkals pushed on for the equalizer and were rewarded at the 89th when Ott finished off a patient buildup involving him, Paul Mulders and Jim Junior Munoz.

“If you’re behind it’s always not a good feeling but coach made a good adjustment and everybody who came in gave everything, played forward in the end game. It’s good to make the goal,” said Ott who scored his second international goal for Phl.