“Congratulations to the U23 national team. Your campaign in the ASEAN Championship has been truly inspiring. We commend every player, coach and staff for what you have achieved thus far. We thank all the fans that have shown their support. Together, let’s continue building on this,” said PFF President John Gutierrez.
The Philippine U23 Men’s National Football Team made history on Monday, securing a dominant 2-0 victory over Brunei U23 in their final Group A match of the ASEAN U23 Championship Mandiri Cup. This significant win marks the Philippines’ first-ever winning record in the tournament, culminating in their best campaign to date.
Wing forward Javier Mariona opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a well-taken penalty kick, awarded after Brunei’s Wafiq Danish fouled Jax Peña inside the box. Despite numerous on-target shots, the Philippines found their insurance goal in the 85th minute when Tuloy Foundation’s Harry Nuñez, named Man of the Match, skillfully converted a cutback from Mariona.
Gutierrez added, “Javier and Harry’s goals were crucial. They showed incredible resolve and skill when it mattered most.
This victory brings the Philippines U23’s total points to six, their highest tally in tournament history. Their campaign also included a 2-0 win against Malaysia and a narrow 0-1 loss to the reigning SEA Games champions, Indonesia, last Friday.
“Momentum is crucial in tournament football, and we’ve successfully ridden the wave of emotions this past 7 days. The team has grown in confidence with every game, winning tonight provides more confidence. We have achieved all of this with only a one week training camp leading in, I am proud and happy for the players and staff. I trust the supporters back home are proud of the character and spirit of this group,” said Head Coach Garrath McPherson during the post-match press conference.
McPherson added, “We have been able to provide more young men with exposure on the international stage, whilst securing our highest ever points finish in the history of this tournament. I said coming into this tournament that we are here to provide opportunity for our players to showcase their quality, we have consistently rotated our roster to maximize opportunities for players to be seen prior to the U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers and the SEA games.”
“Regardless of what comes next in the Mandiri Cup, the commitment to a brighter future for Philippine football endures,” Gutierrez concluded.
Finishing second in Group A, the Philippine U23 team now awaits the results of the final fixtures in Groups B and C on July 22nd, with a strong chance of securing a historic first-ever semifinal appearance in the ASEAN U23 Championship.
