Fil-Norwegian Bjørn Kristensen’s penalty shot in the 63rd minute propelled the Philippine national men’s football team to a thrilling 1-0 victory over Indonesia on Saturday at Manahan Stadium in Surakarta.
The win secured the Philippines a spot in the semifinals of the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2024.
The team’s chances were further bolstered by Vietnam’s dominant 5-0 rout of Myanmar at the Viet Tri Stadium in Vietnam.
This marks the first time the Philippines has advanced to the semifinals of the tournament since 2018, a year when the squad was coached by Sven-Göran Eriksson and Scott Cooper.
The Philippines concluded Group B play with a 1-3-0 win-draw-loss record, finishing second behind Vietnam, which held the same record but topped the group on goal difference.
Under the guidance of head coach Albert Capellas, the Philippine team now prepares to face Group A leader Thailand in a two-legged semifinal.
The first leg is scheduled to take place at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila on Thursday, followed by the second leg on December 30 at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok.
Kristensen’s penalty kick, awarded after a foul on Yrick Gallantes, marked his second goal of the tournament and provided the crucial edge for the Philippines.
The match proved challenging for the Filipinos, particularly after starting goalkeeper Patrick Deyto suffered an injury in a collision with an Indonesian player. Quincy Kammeraad stepped in for Deyto and delivered a stellar performance, making key saves to keep Indonesia scoreless in the first half.
Meanwhile, Vietnam will face Singapore in the other semifinal matchup.