NEW coach Carles Cuadrat loved the great effort of the Philippine Men’s National Football Team to pull off a 2-all draw against Tajikistan.
“They didn’t allow us to get the three points, but still, we have one and we will try to win the competition and keep going,” said Cuadrat on Tuesday evening at the end of their third qualifying round of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup at the New Clark City Stadium in Tarlac.
It was Cuadrat’s debut game as Philippine head coach, after taking the spot of resigned mentor Albert Capellas.
Bjørn Kristensen led the Philippines with his two-goal performance.
“They did their best to get the result. Before the game, we knew that it’s going to be a difficult game. But I think the players put a lot of heart in the game. They did a good effort,” said Cuadrat.
Kristensen, who now has eight goals in his 13 caps for the Philippines, knocked in the equalizer in the 79th minute.
Playing in front of 10,854 fans, the Filipino-Norwegian forward’s final goal kept the Filipino booters unbeaten in Group A as they now share a 1-1-0 win-draw-loss record with the Tajik booters.
The Philippines got off to a good start in the 28th minute, as Kristensen headed in Gerrit Holtmann’s free kick, after it bounced off the crossbar.
Two minutes later, Mabatshoev Shervoni scored on a volley that slipped past goalkeeper Kevin Ray Mendoza, to equalize at 1-all.
Tajikistan then took the lead in the 42nd minute before halftime, off Umarbaev Parvizdzhon’s penalty that was awarded by Iranian referee Hasan Akrami.
The Philippines will have their next match on Oct. 9, an away-game against Timor Leste, while Tajikistan will host the Maldives in Dushanbe.
