by Kevin Estrada
The Philippine Men’s National Football Team maintained their own control of their Asian Cup hopes after a dominating 2-0 win away at Maldives, Tuesday evening, Philippine time.
With Tajikistan doing their business earlier by putting five without reply against East Timor in Darwin, Australia, Carles Cuadrat’s side did the double over the Red Snappers as it ensured that Group A will be decided on the final day of March next year.
A thirteen-minute blitz in the first half sealed all three points for the Filipinos, with the overseas Filipinos making the loudest noise in the National Stadium, with goalkeeper Kevin Ray Mendoza securing a clean sheet in the qualifiers on the fifth attempt.
Also, it extended their unbeaten streak against the South Asian side to six matches overall dating back to the epic Challenge Cup semi final way back in 2014 after winning their third straight game in Male.
Centre-half Jefferson Tabinas put the visitors ahead in the 24th minute, firing in a towering header past Mohamed Faisal off a corner by Randy Schneider.
Then, Sandro Reyes then put the finishing touches eight minutes before halftime with a thing of beauty. After being picked out by Jarvey Gayoso, Reyes then put Samooh Ali into his backside and deftly beat Faisal with his left foot.
A fruitless second half meant that the Central Asian side are now on top of Group A on goal difference, but both Tajikistan and the Philippines will have a grueling four-month wait before taking on each other in their finale in 2026 with a trip to Saudi Arabia awaiting the winner.
MALDIVES: Mohamed Faisal (GK), Samooh Ali © (Thoif Gasim 46’), Irufaan, Aisam Ibrahim, Naiz Hassan Ali Fasir 74’), Hamza Mohamed (Ethan Ibrahim 74’), Ahmed Aiham, Haisham Hassan, Ibrahim Mahudhee (Hassan Nazeem 84’), Ahmed Rizuvan (Raif Ahmed 46’), Hussain Nihan
PHILIPPINES: Mendoza (GK), Paul Tabinas (Kike Linares 66’), Jeff Tabinas, Sandro Reyes (Rasmussen 74’), Leipold (Demuynck 46’), Ott, Gayoso (Monis 66’), Kristensen, Schneider, Aguinaldo ©, Baccay (Woods 90+1’)
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