Philippine Football Federation (PFF) President John Anthony Gutierrez and Philippine Men’s National Football Team (PMNFT) head coach Carles Cuadrat expressed pride in his players’ performance following a 1-1 draw against Tajikistan in their final Group A match of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers last March 31 at Hisor Stadium.
The result saw the Philippines conclude its qualifying campaign unbeaten with 14 points from four wins and two draws. However, Tajikistan advanced to the Asian Cup finals on +1 goal difference over PMNFT, denying the Philippines a return to the continental stage despite matching points with the 2023 Asian Cup quarterfinalists and world number 100.
President Gutierrez lauded the team’s effort and resilience throughout the qualifiers:
“This team has shown tremendous character and growth throughout the qualifiers, finishing unbeaten against strong opposition until the very end. We move forward with pride, and gratitude to all the supporters from home and abroad. This campaign of the PMNT has laid a formidable foundation to build on for the future.”
Cuadrat acknowledged the difficulty of the result but emphasized the team’s growth and competitiveness throughout the campaign.
“First of all, congratulations to Tajikistan for the qualification. They have been a very tough opponent,” Cuadrat said. “But the reality is we drew both matches against them, and in both games, we created more chances. If you look at the statistics, we had the opportunities to win.”
The Philippines took the lead in the 19th minute through debutant Raphael Obermair, but Tajikistan equalized before halftime and held on despite sustained pressure from the visitors.
Cuadrat pointed to key moments that could have changed the outcome, including a late clear chance in stoppage time that went begging.
“In football, sometimes it comes down to one goal, and unfortunately for us, that made the difference,” he said. “We had a very clear opportunity at the end—inside the box, no block—but it didn’t go in. We have to accept it.”
Despite the disappointment, Cuadrat highlighted the respect earned by the team from their opponents, noting that members of the Tajikistan squad and technical staff commended the Philippines after the match.
That means a lot to us because they are a team with experience at the highest level in Asia. Many of their players have already played in major competitions and are at their peak years. Perhaps that experience made the difference, but our players showed great courage from the first minute to the last.
The Spanish tactician underscored that the campaign reflects the steady progress of Philippine football, with the team pushing a seasoned Asian side until the final moments.
“It is clear that Philippine football is improving. We fought until the end for qualification, and that is something we must build on,” Cuadrat said.
Looking ahead, PMNFT will shift its focus to the upcoming ASEAN Football Championship—also known as the Hyundai Cup—set to begin in July, where the Philippines aims to build on its semifinal finish in the previous edition.
“We are going to prepare for the Hyundai Cup in July,” Cuadrat said. “The plan is to keep working and ensure we are ready to compete strongly again in Southeast Asia and aim for the highest stages of the competition.”
Despite this setback, PFF assures not only continuity, but growth in the men’s program, which saw a huge leap in the FIFA ranking–from 150th in the end of 2024 to its current rank of 135th.
“This campaign may not have ended the way we hoped, but it has revealed the strength, character, and potential of this team. From here, we move forward together—wiser, hungrier, and more united—knowing that the best of Philippine football is still ahead of us,” Gutierrez concluded.
