by Kevin Estrada
The Philippine Men’s National Football Team bounced back from a dismal showing in Capas to get their first win of the 2026 ASEAN Championship Hyundai Cup in style with a 4-1 rout of 10-man Laos tonight in Vientiane.
Reeling from their shocking setback at home to Myanmar at the New Clark City pitch to open their Group B campaign, the visitors have to go from a goal down to take all three points at the KM16 patch with a dazzling display at the restart.
It looked as Carles Cuadrat’s men were on course to prolong their agony as Quincy Kammeraad fumbled Laotian skipper Damoth Thongkhamsavath’s long ranged effort and into the back of the net for a shock seventh-minute lead for the hosts.
However, disaster struck the hosts soon afterwards in the 14th minute as Phetdavanh Somsanid initially saw yellow after a horrid studs-up clatter on Jarvey Gayoso, but the VAR came to aid South Korean referee Kim Hee-gon and duly upgraded it into a straight red, as Laos found themselves down a man the rest of the way.
Although they were frustrated to be on level terms by halftime, they duly did right after the break. Right-back John Lucero fired a 47th-minute volley after being picked out by Scott Woods on the Filipinos’ first attack in the second half.
Five minutes later, Cuadrat’s charges at last got the upperhand, despite Cole Mrowka unfortunate that his name was not on the scoresheet as his effort got deflected off substitute Viengxay Sydavong into his own net for the go-ahead strike.
Gayoso then tacked on the insurance from the spot at the hour mark that came from Photthavong Sangvilay handball, with Daisuke Sato headed home the visitors’ fourth two minutes before full time as they picked the right time to bounce back to prepare for Tuesday’s crunch tie with record champions Thailand in Tarlac.
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