The Philippine men’s national football team delivered another historic performance on home soil, defeating Myanmar 5-1 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Tuesday night in the final match of the Manila Tri-Nation Friendlies — the biggest winning margin the Philippines has ever recorded against the Burmese side.
The result extended the national team’s unbeaten streak to 15 months, dating back to the start of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers in March 2025, and set a powerful tone ahead of the team’s campaign in the 2026 ASEAN Championship next month.
Before a vocal crowd of 4,500 supporters who trooped to the historic venue, the Philippines dominated in possession, territory, and creativity throughout the night, converting their superiority into five goals while conceding just one in a contest that was far more one-sided than many might have anticipated.
Myanmar, who had beaten Guam 6-1 in the tournament opener just days prior, arrived in Manila with form and momentum and proved themselves a genuine threat in the first half, with several dangerous chances and a disallowed goal before halftime. But the Philippines weathered the early storm with composure and ultimately turned the match into a commanding statement of intent.
The opening period was tightly contested. Myanmar’s Than Paing tested Philippine goalkeeper Michael Falkesgaard with a composed 1v1 in the 25th minute, while a goal by the same forward was correctly ruled out in the 38th minute due to an offside infringement by passer Mg Mg Lwin.
The Philippines, meanwhile, came close through a Daisuke Sato strike that rattled the crossbar off a Randy Schneider combination in the third minute, and a Noah Leddel set-piece effort that was well saved in the 21st.
It was midfielder Jeff Tabinas who broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time, tapping in at close range after a methodical buildup in the final third, with Andre Leipold providing the assist. The goal — Tabinas’ sixth for the national team — gave the Philippines the slight edge at the interval.
The second half saw the Philippines assert full control.
Paul Tabinas doubled the lead in the 54th minute, finishing off a slick combination with Cole Mrowka for his first international goal.
Despite Myanmar creating set piece chances through Soe Moe Kyaw and Min Maw Oo — all of which were safely handled by Falkesgaard — the hosts never relinquished their grip on the match.
Substitute forward Sebastian Rasmussen struck in the 80th minute off a Scott Woods through-ball, before Myanmar sliced the deficit when Win Naing Tun scored from the centre mark reset in the 82nd minute.
But the Philippines responded immediately and emphatically. Andrei Leipold scored in the 89th minute off the break — his third goal of the Tri-Nation series — with Pocholo Bugas providing the assist from the left wing off Kenji Nishioka’s forward pass past two Burmese defensive lines.
Rasmussen then completed a brace in stoppage time with a similar left wing transition play, with Bugas again the provider, to seal a famous 5-1 victory.
Philippine Football Federation President John Anthony Gutierrez hailed the result as an important milestone for the national program.
“Tonight was a historic night for Philippine football. Myanmar has never been easy to beat, and to win by this margin against one of ASEAN’s most competitive sides is something the entire Filipino football community should be proud of. The last time we met them, right here at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, we could only manage a draw. Tonight, the team came out with a completely different level of intensity, and the result reflects how much this program has grown.”
We have not lost in fifteen months, and performances like tonight are a reminder of what this team is capable of when everything — the players, the coaches, the staff and volunteers, and the fans — come together.
Among the night’s standout performers was left winger Pocholo Bugas, the Nabunturan, Davao de Oro native who developed his professional career in Croatia with Vukovar before answering the current national team call.
Bugas registered two assists in the final minutes to help close out the victory in emphatic fashion — his second strong outing after an equally impressive showing against Guam last Wednesday, where PMNFT won, 5-1.
Speaking after the match, the homegrown winger reflected on what the result meant to him personally.
Pasalamat din ako na nasuot ko rin yung badge na ito. Bansa natin na-represent ko. At syempre marami akong natutunan dun sa ibang bansa, napatunayan ko na kayang-kaya ko dito. Kaya-kaya ko matulungan ang bayan ko.
Bugas also pointed to the significance of the result in a broader context, noting that the night’s victory could stand as the Philippines’ biggest ever winning margin against Myanmar. On the team’s development, he credited the coaching staff for giving him the platform to contribute.
“[Marami] kaming pinaghirapan, [maraming] natutunan [na] na-apply namin sa laro. Maganda [ang] resulta namin.”
The evening also marked a goal party for the Tabinas brothers — Jeff of Chonburi FC in Thailand and Paul of Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia — as both scored in the same international match for the first time.
Paul, who scored the Philippines’ second goal, spoke about the bond within the squad and the shared sense of purpose that has driven the team’s recent performances.
“Me and my brother, we always used to tell each other that we have to bring the Philippines to a higher level. We have this responsibility to win the game and then become a better team. I think we showed the team that we can compete at a higher level today.”
Paul noted that the squad’s youth has become one of its greatest assets, creating a unity of vision that continues to sharpen with every match.
“I joined this team two years ago. But the squad is young; we have a bond. These days, we know what we want to do in the game. We have one direction to go. Because we are young, we know our thoughts. So we can be better, and better, and better.”
On the ASEAN Championship, Paul was bullish.
“The Hyundai Cup will be much better compared to the last Mitsubishi Cup. We are definitely going to bring a new record to the Philippines. Thank you for believing in us. We will always answer for your cheer; just keep believing. We are fighting for the Philippines.”
Jeff, meanwhile, was candid about the areas still to be addressed heading into the tournament, even as he savored what he acknowledged was a special night for the family.
“When I got the goal for the Philippines, I’m always proud of it. But when my brother scored, this is the special thing. Myanmar showed strong football against Guam. But we played really torrid, attacking football. It was solid. Everyone tried their best.”
Jeff also spoke pointedly about the team’s unfinished business — missing the 2027 AFC Asian Cup and what it has sharpened in the squad’s mindset.
For the Hyundai Cup, I promise it will be better. When you are a member of this team, we will give 100%. At least you can expect that we will fight for the country 100%.
Addressing the thousands of fans who have remained steadfast through the team’s qualifications heartbreak, Jeff was emotional in his appreciation.
“Even on my Instagram, YouTube — they gave me a lot of comments: ‘We believe in you. Next Asian Cup, we will go. The Hyundai Cup, we will win.’ They are always supporting us, keeping us going. This is not about our career or something. This is our pride for the Philippine national team.”
Team manager Patrick Reichelt was equally effusive after the final whistle, pointing to the team’s dominant display as evidence of a program that has found its identity.
I’m very proud of the boys. Myanmar is not a bad team, and for us to be this dominant against them is a very good step forward. You see the difference in football we are playing now compared to before. We can finally dominate the teams we used to struggle against.
Reichelt also reflected on how the technical staff responded to the team’s failure to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup, choosing continuity over wholesale change.
“Obviously [we] had a major setback with the non-qualification for the Asian Cup, and usually if these things happen you’re looking for major mistakes that you can fix. But when the coaches sat down, there wasn’t much to find. The right step was to just keep doing what we’re doing. There’s a certain philosophy that [head coach] Carles [Cuadrat] and the staff are putting in. The boys are adapting to it, and it’s slowly taking shape. You can see it on the field now.”
Reichelt also underlined the importance of home matches and winning momentum as the team heads into next month’s tournament.
“Every game at home is very important — to keep the fans going, to keep our confidence going. And the reality is we haven’t lost in 15 months. That matters.”
The Philippine men’s national football team will return to competitive action next month in the 2026 ASEAN Championship — Hyundai Cup, where they will seek to surpass their semifinal finish from the 2024 edition, which included a historic home leg victory over Thailand.
The Philippines has been drawn into a formidable group stage, with their schedule as follows:
July 28 — vs. Myanmar
August 1 — vs. Laos
August 4 — vs. Thailand
August 8 — vs. Malaysia
PFF thanks all the thousand of fans who have watch and supported all three match days of the Trination Friendlies, as well as to all the staff and volunteers who worked hard to make this series a success. We look forward to seeing you next month in PMNFT’s ASEAN Championship campaign.
