Sports PH News | JS DEV Site

Tag: Carles Cuadrat

  • Carles Cuadrat trusts young Philippine squad ahead of ASEAN Hyundai Cup opener

    Carles Cuadrat trusts young Philippine squad ahead of ASEAN Hyundai Cup opener

    The Philippine men’s national football team is set to begin its ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 campaign on Tuesday, July 28, as the Young Azkals take on Myanmar in their Group B opener at New Clark City.

     

    Led by Spanish head coach Carles Cuadrat, the Philippines enters the regional tournament with renewed optimism after an encouraging run of performances in recent months. Although the squad features several promising young talents, Cuadrat believes his players are ready to embrace the challenge of competing against some of Southeast Asia’s strongest football nations.

     

    The Philippines heads into the tournament after recording an emphatic 5-1 victory over Myanmar in an international friendly in June. However, Cuadrat insists that result offers little advantage heading into Tuesday’s encounter, particularly with Myanmar now under the guidance of new head coach Jorn Andersen.

     

    OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all sports news from around the world.

     

    Get the latest sports updates faster. Join the official Sports PH News Discord community today! https://discord.gg/defTe7KeT

     

    Speaking during the pre-match press conference, Cuadrat acknowledged that Myanmar has undergone tactical changes under its new manager but noted that much of the squad remains familiar to his coaching staff.

     

    “We have analysed the opposition. Myanmar’s new coach has introduced some different ideas, but the core group of players is quite similar to the team we faced previously. We can therefore draw on that experience,” Cuadrat said.

     

    While confident in his team’s preparations, the former FC Barcelona assistant highlighted that this Philippine squad is even younger than the one that competed in the recent Tri-Nations Tournament.

    “We will field an even younger team than the one that played in the Tri-Nations tournament. At that time, we had experienced players such as Randy Schneider and Patrick Reichelt helping the group,” he said.

     

    The youthful composition of the squad is one of the defining features of the Philippines’ campaign, with Cuadrat revealing that only two players on the roster are over the age of 30.

     

    “We now have only two players over the age of 30, while the rest of the squad is very young. It will be a good test for us. The players have trained very well and understand the ideas we want to implement on the pitch. We hope to produce a good performance,” he added.

     

    Despite the inexperience of several members of the squad, Cuadrat believes the team’s energy, discipline, and willingness to learn can help offset the lack of veteran presence as the Philippines seeks a positive start to the competition.

     

    The Philippines and Myanmar share a long-standing rivalry in Southeast Asian football, having met nine times over the history of the regional championship. Their most recent meeting in the tournament came in 2024 and ended in a draw, while the June friendly demonstrated the attacking quality the Filipinos are capable of producing. Nevertheless, Cuadrat expects a much tougher challenge this time around given Myanmar’s tactical evolution under Andersen.

     

    The opening fixture could prove crucial in shaping the Philippines’ hopes of advancing from a highly competitive Group B, which also features regional heavyweights Thailand and Malaysia, as well as Laos. Every point will be valuable in the race for a place in the knockout stage, making a winning start all the more important.

     

    For the Young Azkals, the ASEAN Hyundai Cup represents another opportunity to continue the development of a new generation of Filipino footballers while competing against the region’s best. 

     

    With a youthful squad eager to make its mark and a coach confident in the team’s preparation, the Philippines will be aiming to open its campaign with a statement victory before turning its attention to the remaining group-stage fixtures.

     

     

     

    👉 Don’t miss out on the latest sports news, updates, and fan discussions!

    📌 Follow our Facebook page Sports PH News today and join the community of passionate sports fans. 

  • “Philippine football is improving”: Carles Cuadrat lauds PMNT effort despite failing to reach Asia Cup

    “Philippine football is improving”: Carles Cuadrat lauds PMNT effort despite failing to reach Asia Cup

    The Philippine men’s national football team endured a heart-wrenching finish to their 2027 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asia Cup qualifying campaign after drawing 1-1 with Tajikistan in their final Group A match on Tuesday, March 31.

     

    The result left both teams tied on 14 points at the top of the group, but it was Tajikistan who advanced to the continental tournament by the narrowest of margins, edging the Philippines on goal difference—+11 to +10. The dramatic finish underscored just how close the Filipinos came to punching their ticket to one of Asia’s premier football competitions, highlighting both the progress and the heartbreak of their journey.

     

    Despite the disappointment, Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president John Anthony Gutierrez praised the resilience and effort shown by the team in a statement.

     

    OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all sports news from around the world.

     

    “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,” Gutierrez said.

     

    The Filipinos head coach Carles Cuadrat echoed Gutierrez’s comments, reiterating that they deserved to win and their displays goes on to showcase the steady progress of Philippine football.

    “First of all, congratulations to Tajikistan for the qualification. They have been a very tough opponent. 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.

     

    “It is clear that Philippine football is improving. We fought until the end for qualification, and that is something we must build on,” Cuadrat added.

     

    The Philippines’ near-miss in Asia Cup qualification has not dampened the team’s determination, as they now shift focus to the upcoming ASEAN Hyundai Cup, scheduled to kick off on July 24. Drawn in Group B, the Filipinos will face stiff competition from regional heavyweights including Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Laos. The tournament will provide a crucial opportunity for the team to test the lessons learned from the AFC qualifiers and to continue building on the momentum established during their unbeaten streak against tough opposition.

     

    “We are going to prepare for the Hyundai Cup in July. 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,” he continued.

     

     Fans will also be eager to see how the team adapts and improves from their 2024 semifinal finish, which ended in a narrow 3-4 aggregate loss to Thailand. With a mix of experienced campaigners and emerging talent, the PMNT will be looking to make a strong statement in Southeast Asia, demonstrating that Philippine football is steadily growing in competitiveness and stature on both the regional and continental stage.

     

    While the narrow miss for the Asia Cup was painful, the team’s performances throughout the qualifiers have reinforced that Philippine football is on an upward trajectory, with a young, talented squad gaining confidence, experience, and resilience. For fans and officials alike, the hope is that the lessons learned will translate into silverware and continued success in regional competitions, cementing the country’s place among Asia’s emerging football nations.

     

     

    👉 Don’t miss out on the latest sports news, updates, and fan discussions!

    📌 Follow our Facebook page Sports News PH today and join the community of passionate sports fans.