The Philippine men’s national football team (PMNFT) gave their all and battled valiantly from a 0-2 deficit against seven-time champion and world number 97 Thailand to earn its first ever extra time–and play its best ever campaign–in the ASEAN Football Championship.
While a Thai late goal brought the defending champs to the finals of the biennial meet on Monday in Bangkok, winning 4-3 on aggregate with a 3-1 home win, the Philippines had completed a turnaround, from a team struggling to regain its form after the retirement of the legendary Phil Younghusband to a winning team that has defeated regional powerhouses Indonesia and Thailand consecutively.
“We hold our heads high. This is our first ASEAN semis that went to extra time. Our men fought with heroism; they never gave up, despite Thailand’s immense championship pedigree, despite the loud Thai crowd,” said Philippine Football Federation (PFF) President John Anthony Gutierrez.
“We just arrived at this level. For a lot of years we couldn’t play these type of games — to fight until the last second against Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam. It’s the first time we are here after a lot of years,” remarked Philippine head coach Albert Capellas.
Second half substitute and the Philippines’ ace striker Bjorn Kristensen benefited from a patient buildup from the back third and sizzled with a 20-yard scorcher in 84th minute, equalizing the two-leg series 3-3. It was Kristensen’s third goal in the 2024 ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup and his fifth in international play in just six months of playing for his home country.
Momentum swung to the Philippines’ favor as Amani Aguinaldo had two dangerous opportunities inside the box in the 90th minute while striker Jarvey Gayoso hit the woodwork off the rebound, scaring a shaky Thailand team avoiding a disappointment in front of its home crowd.
With eleven minutes added in the second half, Aguinaldo and Kristensen missed their headers in the 90+9th and 90+11th minutes, respectively, as the Bangkok leg went to extra time–a first for the Philippines in the biennial meet. In the 93rd minute, Scott Woods and Michael Kempter were given dangerous balls inside the box but were overwhelmed by the Thai defense.
Suphanat Mueanta ultimately won the series for the War Elephants with a header off a diagonal cross by Worachit Kanitsribumphen, beating the defense of Paul Tabinas and Quincy Kammeraad in the 116th minute.
“We had several chances to win the second leg of the semis and these chances were patiently built up. All of our chances, including Bjorn’s equalizer, resulted from teamwork and an improved approach in football. We have played our best football with the current philosophy and system of Coach Albert that is just three months old,” said PFF Director of National Team Freddy Gonzalez.
Down 1-2 after their Manila loss last Friday, the Philippines had the first shot on goal with a counterattacking strike by Jarvey Gayoso in the 16th minute that was blocked by Pansa Hemviboon.
Thereafter, the Thais drew first blood in the 37th minute Peeradol Chamrasanee goal created off Seksan Ratree’s chase from the baseline to tie the series a 2-2.
Photos of his saved possession, however, showed the ball to be behind the baseline before the back pass resulting in Peeradol’s goal was issued.
Patrik Gustavsson then scored the go-ahead off an interception in the 54th minute to the delight of the Thai home crowd.
The Philippines, though, had their offense flowing come the 70th minute, resulting in Kristensen’s goal that sparked hope for a Filipino comeback to earn what could have been its first ASEAN finals appearance.
“We can proudly say that this is our best ASEAN Championship stint ever. Aside from experiencing our first ever extra time, we have won against regional powerhouses Indonesia and Thailand. We are going to bring these gains come March 2025 in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, where we are grouped with countries that we have defeated multiple times.,” Gutierrez explained.
“We are going to build a new football renaissance with the success of our men’s and women’s teams alongside their respective youth teams. We are excited to have an exciting football year in 2025,” Gutierrez concluded.
The Philippines will open its bid for a 2027 Asian Cup ticket on March 25, 2025 against the Maldives in Male.
Aside from the South Asian island nation, PMNFT is grouped with Tajikistan and Timor-Leste in Group A.
The Philippines will enter its second Asian Cup finals by topping the group.
