After the Philippines’ match with Laos was removed from the FIFA
official list of fixtures after the latter used an unsanctioned referee,
the Azkals’ match with Cambodia has now also been removed from FIFA’s
website as well.
The move reportedly came after
Cambodia made seven substitutions in the match, while the maximum number
of substitutions allowed in a game was affixed to six in 2004. After
reviewing the incident, FIFA has taken the step of cancelling the game
from the official fixtures.
Game officials did
not keep track of the number of substitutions the Cambodian side made.
As the game is no longer considered a FIFA International Friendly match,
it means that both countries will lose the few ranking points they
picked up for the draw.
While this won’t change
the position of the Azkals so much compared to other countries, it does
raise questions of professionalism with both Laos and Cambodia now
causing FIFA to step in and degrade the game from a FIFA international
match to a simple exhibition game.
FIFA ranks
countries based on their performance in the last four years, taking all
their points from the current year, 50% of the last year’s, 30% of the
points won during the year before, and 20% of the year before that. The
Philippines currently has 167 points behind Leichenstein, Syria, and
Vietnam, with only one point separating the Azkals from Leichenstein,
three from Syria, and sixteen behind Vietnam.
Fortunately for the Azkals, the 2-1 victory against Singapore still
counts in the FIFA Rankings. Currently, FIFA Rankings work in a way that
a win could add 11 points to the Azkals’ score to take them to 178
points.
At the moment, that would see them rise
to 147th in the world, higher than they’ve been before, as the Azkals’
highest ever position is 148th, achieved from April to May earlier this
year. However, the Azkals need a good showing in the Philippine Football
Peace Cup to maintain that score and gain further ground on their
neighbors on and off the pitch. - RAF, GMA News
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