THE Philippine Under-16 football team was considered a long shot to win the Lion City Cup 2025 tournament.
But Aaron Thomas Long’s two goals on Sunday evening, when they beat Cambodia, 3-1, at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore, proved critics wrong.
“There’s people on social media who were trying to speak bad about us and we had to clear that out of our minds and play to prove them wrong. People from our home country (were) talking bad about players selected from specific areas and that it seemed unfair. It’s a dream come true to prove each and every single one of them wrong,” said the 16-year-old Long in a statement online.
The Philippine side lifted the Under-16 boys’ trophy after it struck home in the 14th, 41st and 75th minutes.
“The players (put in) really hard work to get these results,” said national coach Tetsuya Tsuchida.
Team Philippines went on to top their four-team bracket off two wins and a draw, with seven points, ahead of host Singapore, which won over Hong Kong 4-1 in another encounter.
Cambodia, which was winless after two games, took the lead after three minutes, when Lor Nosya’s curling shot from afar bounced off the bar and in front of Chhay Chharat, who headed the ball into the net.
The Philippine side quickly regrouped, with Long, after getting a long pass, slotting in a left-footed shot for the equalizer in the 14th minute.
In the 41st minute, Long’s through ball got deflected by goalkeeper Chhea Vuthy, but Francis Benedict Poticano caught it on the rebound and rolled in a second goal that handed the Philippines a 2-1 edge.
A tightly guarded Long found an opening in the 75th minute, when he received substitute Filbert Martin Tacardon’s cross pass. Long volleyed in his second goal and the Philippines’ third.
Long went to finish as the tournament’s top scorer with three goals in as many games.
The Philippines earlier won over host Singapore, 2-0, before pulling off a 1-all draw with Hong Kong.
