by Kevin Estrada

The Philippines is back on track in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers Thursday evening in Marrara, Australia, after blasting Timor-Leste  with a 4-1 rout.

In a crucial Group A six-pointer for the Filipinos, Carles Cuadrat’s side proved their quality way above their ASEAN neighbors to get the job done in the away leg, before hosting the reverse tie five days from now in Capas, Tarlac.

Forward Bjørn Martin Kristensen hit for a rare four-goal haul to make it a dozen international goals in his first fourteen caps for the Philippines, which matched the ratio made by the legendary Phil Younghusband.

It took just fifteen minutes for Kristensen to hit his first, scoring the rebound home after his initial effort was saved by Georgino.

Past the half-hour mark, he doubled the Philippines’ advantage by breezing past the Timorese backline as Cuadrat’s men headed to the changing rooms with a comfortable lead at the break.

Although Timor-Leste skipper Paulo Freitas pulled one back less than two minutes at the restart, Kristensen, who is playing domestic football for Norwegian side KFUM Oslo, then completed his quadruple with a quickfire double in a space of seven minutes.

TIMOR-LESTE: Georgino (GK), Ryan Jom (Mario Quintao 46’), Francisco Da Costa (Filomeno Junior 10’), Joao Panji, Claudio Osorio (Zenivio Mota 46’), Joao Pedro Freitas (Vabio Cannavaro 46’), Mouzinho (Joao Rangel 60’), Santiago Da Costa, Paulo Freitas ©, Viegas, Correia

PHILIPPINES: Mendoza (GK), Tabinas, Nyholm (78’0, Reyes, Leipold (Monis 66’), Gayoso (Demuynck 46’), Kristensen (Rasmussen 60’), Schneider, Aguinaldo ©, Baccay, Kempter (Santi Rublico 66’)

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