By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
The Philippine men’s national football team scored its biggest win in years after sending powerhouse Thailand into oblivioun with a 2-1 thriller in the first leg of the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2024 semifinals at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila on Friday night, Dec. 27.
Credit the Nationals’ wondrous win to Kike Linares.
The exciting Fil-Spaniard made a clutch header in stoppage time that sparked wild celebrations from more than 7,000 enthralled fans.
It was the country’s first-ever victory over Thailand since the 1972 Jakarta Anniversary Tournament. Hopefully, more to come.
For a moment, it appeared the game was headed to a draw after Suphanan Bureerat scored an equalizer for Thailand in the 45th minute, roughly 24 minutes after Sandro Reyes broke the ice for the PH squad with a goal in the 21st minute.
The Thais even capitalized on that goal, becoming more aggressive including that left-footed strike from Peeradol Chamrasamee in the 94th minute that nearly hit the post.
Good thing it went wide to the right.
When the opportunity swung to the PH side, the Nationals never hesitated.
And Linares seized the moment, heading home the winning goal that electrified the home fans – just two nights after the nation celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ.
Certainly, that will give the Nationals the needed boost when two clash in the second leg on Monday, Dec. 30 at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok.
Another victory would give the PH booters a historic moment — a first finals stint in this tournament — and would arrange a championship meeting with the winner between Vietnam and Singapore.
The Vietnamese blanked Singapore, 2-0, in their other semis series at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore, with the second leg set on Sunday, Dec. 29, at the Viet Tri Stadium in Vietnam.
The PH booters must at least get a draw to advance, while the Thais needed to win by two goals.
The Nationals came into the match with a 1-3-0 win-draw-loss record to clinch the second seeding in Group B, allowing them a spot in the semis for the first time in six years.
