By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
The Philippines opened its 32ndSoutheast Asian Games campaign on a sour note after its men’s football team suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat to Indonesia at the start of the preliminaries Saturday, April 30, at the National Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The Azkals Under-22 played valiantly but the Indons proved craftier and stronger in their Group A match.
Marselino Ferdinan Philipus broke the ice in the 45th minute for the Indonesians, bronze medalists in the previous edition held last year in Vietnam.
They went on full throttle in the second half with goals from substitutes Irfan Jauhari in the 89th and Muhammad Fajar in the 90+2 minute.
The Azkals next face host Cambodia on Monday, May 1.
