Sweet Redemption. Azkals 3, Pakistan 1 Postgame Thoughts.

It's only fitting that Chris Greatwich got the winning goal. I remember the first time I met Chris. It was in the press box at the University of Makati Stadium sometime in 2011. I was wearing an old Mizuno Azkals kit from 2008 or 2009. He took one look at it and I'll never forget what he said.

“That's old school!” He knew right then and there that I was a longtime fan.

Greatwich is old school too. He was one of the original overseas-born Filipinos to suit up for the National team, making his debut way back in 2004. It's great to see him relevant still nine years after, especially after he was cruelly given nary a minute of play in the 2012 Suzuki Cup.

His finish off the rebound is better than it looks on the second watching. It's a volley that could have been easily fluffed.

Greatwich was the first scorer for the Philippines in Panaad in a full international match, and once again he came up with a big goal, like the header against Vietnam in Hanoi in December of 2010.

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But it was Schröck's night all the way. This is what it takes to play in a mid-table club in the Bundesliga; one of the top four leagues in the world. Consistent brilliance, day-in and day-out. Everytime Stephan Schröck touched the ball there would be a probing ball in a dangerous area, or a wicked run that would shred the Pakistani defense. He caused problems all night and his goal was richly deserved, like that lucky deflection against Cambodia in the Challenge Cup qualifiers.

Schröck is not a guy who relaxes on the pitch either. If he loses the ball, he works hardest to get it back. If there is a weakness in his game, I'd like to know it.

His finest moment of the game: that sick backheel off a James Younghusband pass that sprung that searing run down the right flank that birthed Patrick Reichelt's score.

He told Darren Hartmann in the post game interview that winning a game with the Azkals is better than winning in the Bundesliga. He'll always be a fan favorite.

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Weiss tried something new and it worked. With Phil Younghusband saddled by a gimpy calf, Paul Mulders unavailable with a bad groin, and Angel Guirado off-form last Friday, coach Michael Weiss was left with a conundrum: how do we put the ball in the net?

Schröck told Darren and me after the game that the tandem of he and Reichelt up top was tried in the end of the last training session and it worked beautifully. The two Fil-Germans reprised their performance on Tuesday, assisting on each other's goals. Reichelt also played a part in Greatwich's strike.

It's heartening to see that the Philippines can generate goals without Younghusband, without Mulders, without Caligdong, without Javi Patiño (who I hear was injured) and with Angel Guirado not at his sharpest. It bodes well for the squad.

Remember, Phil Younghusband got a second yellow card in Challenge Cup qualifying so we may have to play our first game in Maldives without him.

Pakistan's big guns didn't show up. Striker Muhammad Ali, who threatened Chinese Taipei several times, was nowhere to be found on Tuesday night. Muhammad Adil was neutralized by Jeffrey Christiaens and had no influence. Only Hassan Bashir, who assisted on their goal, and scorer Kalleem Ullah shone.

Keeper Yousuf Butt, so sensational against Taipei, flapped at the ball on the Greatwich score when he perhaps should have punched, and seemed out of position on the third Azkal goal.

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The Panaad magic was back, but there's still work to be done. The end bleachers were only filled out after maybe thirty minutes. I suspect the hundreds of spectators milling about outside the fences were just let in during the game. The Grandstand attendance was paltry, with the unroofed sides completely devoid of people.

The pricing needs to be adjusted once again. I think the end bleachers should be twenty pesos, the center bleachers and sides of the grandstands fifty pesos.

Perhaps Panaad's the distance from the city center is an issue. Maybe the Yansons can rustle up some buses to bring fans to and from the city for a small fee?

At least there was a samba band to inject some buzz into the bleacher areas. Next step: cheerleaders. That's easy. Get an existing cheerleading group from a local university, teach some easy cheers, and let them lead the crowd during the game. There was no organized, orchestrated cheering in the grandstand, just from the small but brave band of Kaholeros in the bleachers.

With a little thought and some organization, the atmosphere in Azkals home games can and should be a whole lot better.

There's more for Azkals fans in November. On November 9 we have a game at the United Arab Emirates. On November fifteen another road game against India. Sandwiched in between, perhaps a friendly against a club side. ABS-CBN will televise all of it.

Ed Gastanes of the PFF also told me that Rizal Memorial's turf is scheduled to be installed by December 15. Is it too much to ask if the UFL Cup Final is the first match to be played there?

Gastanes also added that the new Rizal pitch will be a full 68 meters by 105 meters, a hair bit wider than the old field and now just as big as most fields in the world's best stadiums.

There's a new Football Publication in town. I was pleasantly surprised to see this in the production room after the game.

Futbol Balita is eight pages of great stuff about Pinoy Football. I have an article there on page two about how the UFL's new foreigner rule is good, but doesn't go far enough. It will be available for free at UFL matches in Emperador.

Follow Bob on Twitter @bhobg333.