Match on Tuesday
(Recent Clark City Stadium, Capas)
7 p.m. – Philippines vs Maldives
THE Philippines goals to take step one on the road back to the Continent’s football showpiece with a victory against Maldives in Tuesday’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup Qualifiers (ACQ) opener in Capas, Tarlac.
The Filipinos, who missed out on the Asian Cup in 2023 after making their debut 4 years before, seek a winning start in Group A of their latest home on the Recent Clark City Stadium.
Coach Albert Capellas’ charges hope to sustain the momentum from their big gains within the last Asean Championship-Mitsubishi Electric Cup, where they reached the semifinals and even beat Thailand for the primary time in 52 years in the primary leg of the Final 4, 2-1.
“The nice performance within the Asean Cup gave us plenty of hope that we’re closer to the extent that we’re searching for,” said Mr. Capellas, who has assembled a fighting crew led by holdovers Manny Ott, Jesper Nyholm, Amani Aguinaldo, Jarvey Gayoso, Sandro Reyes, and Bjørn Kristensen and latest faces Randy Schneider and Josef Baccay for the ACQ.
“And now we’ve an important game against Maldives. We wish to complete the group in first position, which suggests we’ve to win the primary game and make Philippine supporters proud.”
Just one spot within the 2027 Asian Cup is at stake within the group with Tajikistan, quarterfinalist within the 2023 meet, looming because the Philippines’ biggest rival.
The Tajiks kick off their bid against Timor Leste over in Dushanbe also on Tuesday. — Olmin Leyba
