Azkals goalkeeper Neil Etheridge was the man of the match after he saved a crucial penalty for Cardiff City in stoppage time for a goalless draw with 10-man Newcastle United in the English Premier League over the weekend.
After teammate Yoshinori Muto conceded a handball at the penalty spot, Newcastle were poised to spoil the home squad’s debut at Cardiff City Stadium.
But Etheridge, the first Filipino to play in the English Premier League shot down the visitors’ hopes after gloving Kenedy’s penalty, helping Cardiff collect their first point of the season.
The 28-year old is making a name for himself early in the season. It was the second match in a row that he denied the opposition at the spot, following a similar exploit in a loss to Bournemouth on opening day.
“We could have won it, but with a penalty in the last minute I will take a point and be happy to move onto next week,” Etheridge told Sky Sports.
For the match, Etheridge stopped six of Newcastle’s shots on goal, including four in the first half .
Born in London, Etheridge plays for the Philippine Azkals national team through his mother, after playing for England at the under-16 level.
Etheridge has played more than 50 times for the Philippines, with the highlight coming earlier this year when he helped the country qualify for the finals of the Asian Cup — the quadrennial continental championship — for the first time.
