The Philippine Men’s National Football Team saw its path to the next round become more difficult after suffering a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to Thailand in the ASEAN Hyundai Cup on Tuesday at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium in Capas, Tarlac.
But despite the painful home loss, the Filipinos are refusing to let the result define their campaign.
Midfielder Sandro Reyes praised the team’s effort and believes the squad showed enough fight throughout the match, even as Thailand’s quality eventually made the difference.
“Everyone gave their fight,” Reyes said.
The match remained tightly contested until Thailand found the breakthrough in the 84th minute through Waris Choolthong, whose goal handed the Philippines a difficult defeat and pushed the national team closer to elimination in Group B.
For Reyes, the result was not because of one player’s mistake, emphasizing that the entire squad battled until the final whistle.
Left-back Daisuke Sato shared a similar view, pointing out the improvements made by the team after its impressive 4-1 victory over Laos in their previous match.
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Sato felt the Philippines created enough opportunities to challenge Thailand but failed to capitalize on key moments.
“We improved so many things. We had our moments, we are so close to winning the game but unfortunately we can’t see those moments,” Sato said.
While Sato considered the defeat an unfortunate result, Reyes gave credit to Thailand’s performance and refused to label the outcome as simply bad luck.
“Not unlucky of course because Thailand is really really good,” Reyes said.
With their backs against the wall, the Philippines now shifts its focus to a crucial showdown against Malaysia on Saturday, August 8, at Kuala Lumpur Stadium. The national team knows a victory is vital to keep its qualification hopes alive.
Sato remains confident that the squad still has the mentality needed for the challenge ahead.
“We still have a chance to qualify, we will never give up, we’ll show our spirit, our mentality. We’re gonna go there to win the game, we are not done yet,” Sato said.
“We’re gonna give everything for us, for the people, and for the country to take three points from there and we will see,” Sato added.
The defeat left the Philippines in fourth place in Group B, behind Thailand, which remained at the top with nine points. Myanmar and Malaysia currently occupy second and third spots, respectively, with six points each.
Myanmar holds the advantage in the standings due to a stronger goal difference, carrying a plus-7 mark compared to Malaysia’s plus-3.
Myanmar boosted its semifinal chances earlier in the day after dominating Laos with a 7-2 victory, securing its second win of the tournament.
With qualification hanging in the balance, the Philippines now faces a must-fight situation in Malaysia, where the national team will look to prove that its campaign is far from over.
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