THE Philippine national men’s football team has reached a new level of playing the sport and it took years for a new generation of players to get there.
Coach Albert Capellas said this after the Filipino side came close to beating two-time champion Thailand from its title-retention bid in the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2024.
“We just arrived at this level. For a lot of years we couldn’t play these type of games, to fight until the last second against Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam,” said Capellas after his wards fell to a 1-3 loss on Monday in the second semifinal leg in Bangkok.
This allowed the Thais to overturn a first-leg deficit when action ended before a big crowd of more than 31,000 at the Rajamangala Stadium.
Capellas thanked the Filipino fans, who came to support and witness Team Philippines fight against the world no. 97th-ranked Thais.
“It’s the first time we are here after a lot of years. We have to learn from this experience. Thailand has been there a lot of years,” added Capellas.
The War Elephants are on to their 12th finals’ appearance since 1996 and will meet Vietnam in the championship round.
They advance to the finals off a 4-3 aggregate score, recovering from last week’s 1-2 loss to the Philippines.
“For this generation of players, this is the first time. All I can promise is that we’ll learn from this and we’ll become stronger,” said Capellas.
Capellas was mulling the outcome of a exhausting campaign, with the team playing six games in 18 days.
The War Elephants drew first blood from skipper Peeradol Chamrasamee, who scored on the 37th minute before Patrik Gustavsson made it 2-0 in the 55th minute in the second half.
In the 84th minute, Fil-Norwegian booter Bjorn Kristensen sent the game to extra time with his attack.
Thailand then earned their shot at the finals when Suphanat Mueanta’s header connected during the 30 minutes of extra time in the 116th minute.
The War Elephants went on the offensive right away, with an attempt from Seksan Ratree from six yards out in the fourth minute veering off course.
The Philippines made its first try for goal in the 15th minute.
A loose pass from the Thailand goalkeeper Patiwat Khammai to Chalermsak Aukkee got intecepted by Zico Bailey, who then slipped it into teammate Javier Gayoso.
But Gayoso’s shot around the keeper was cleared off the line by Pansa Hemviboon and out for a corner.
Patiwat’s save on the 70th minute kept Bailey from scoring at the top corner following a free-kick, keeping the Philippines from scoring its first goal.
That’s when Kristensen, who just came in as a sub, fired to the bottom corner for the Philippines’ lone goal.
The Philippines bungled three chances in the 90th minute, with Patiwat first denying Amani Aguinaldo and then Gayoso twice as they came close to the goalmouth.
